DELPHOS — The City of Delphos is trying a new type of manhole cover in an effort to make manholes level with the street surface, satisfy EPA requirements and save on labor and time costs.
The system, Mr. Manhole, was developed three years ago and the city purchased two of the manholes with a third one installed free.
Representatives of Mr. Manhole and certified installer Rodney Brenneman with Brenneman Excavating were present Thursday for demonstration and installation of a manhole on East Fifth Street in front of the Delphos Recreation Center.
Mr. Manhole equipment removed the old manhole casting and fitted a chimney section level with the road. Concrete dyed black to match the roadway was poured later and then a smooth cover level with the roadway will be installed.
Marketing director Trip Davis said not only does the product save on municipalities labor time but is satisfying EPA standards about road water draining into sanitary sewers.
“And that saves money too, because otherwise that water has to be treated again,” he said.
Interest has been expressed in the new product not only nationwide but from as far away as Sweden.
Sunken manholes are a particular problem on streets that have been recently re-paved. But Mr. Manhole claims their product will help “take the bumps out of the road” as we negotiate our way through life.