Some local plumbers said Monday night that they were uneasy about requirements and pay levels in a Hamilton County Water and Wastewater Treatment Authority sewer line repair and replacement program.
“The math doesn’t add up,” said plumber John Bartlett.
Several plumbers out of a group of about three dozen gathered at the Development Resource Center said they didn’t like being required to get background checks for employees participating in the program and obtain performance bonds.
“Where’s the money going to come from to pay for these bonds?” asked plumber Ray Goodwin.
Authority attorney Mike Carter said it’s a requirement of all contractors with Hamilton County to have such bonds. He said plumbers likely will have to get bonds of about $60,000 to be in the program, which met with some grumbling.
Plumber Julie Alexander said she had “minimal bonding” and would have to pay to get performance bonds at that level.
Another plumber, Allen Green, who said he has done work with the city of Chattanooga, said it will take smaller companies years to acquire the bonds they need.
“Half these guys aren’t going to be able to get their bonds,” he said.
Mr. Carter said the authority will not discriminate against any plumber.
Some plumbers also raised questions about background check requirements.
Mr. Carter said they are also a requirement to work for Hamilton County.
The Hamilton County Commission last month voted to view plumbers as “professionals” under the county’s purchasing guidelines so no bidding is required for the program.
In regard to payment, a few plumbers were unhappy to find out they’d be getting about $348 minimum per house for replacing cleanouts in sewer lines in customers’ yards.
ABOUT THE PROGRAM
About 24,000 gravity sewer customers are paying $8 per month to fund a Hamilton County Water and Wastewater Treatment Authority program to inspect, repair and replace lines that go from homes to the road. The program is a response to a state order to get rainwater out of the sewer system. Local plumbers will be hired to do the repair and replacement work.
Mr. Bartlett said the type of pipe the authority is requiring is too expensive to use for those prices.
But Gene Shipley of Shipley Plumbing Co. said it’s hard to know just how fair the prices are just yet.
“There’s a lot of unknowns,” he said.
Mr. Shipley said if local plumbers are unsatisfied with the pay rates, they likely could renegotiate them with the authority.
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