The Riverlea street commissioner shall keep himself informed of the condition of all public streets, sewers, street lamps, parks and grounds, pavements and sidewalks, and shall have the supervision of and the acceptance or rejection of all work done for the improvement, construction, or the repair thereof, whether such work be done by contract, by or at the expense of the owners of the adjacent property. He shall see that the provisions of all laws, ordinances, and regulations relating to the public streets and property herein designated are strictly enforced, and no claim for work done on any such property shall be allowed or paid out of the city treasury without the certificate of the street commissioner, that such work has been done to his satisfaction and according to the ordinances, or orders of the council: Provided that any person feeling himself aggrieved in such matters by the street commissioner may appeal to the village council. The street commissioner shall keep a proper record of all matters relating to the business of his office, and shall report to the council, from time to time, such recommendations and suggestions as to matters connected with his department, with plans and estimates of the cost of such improvements and repairs as he may deem expedient, and he shall perform such other duties as may be required of him by ordinance.
Utility Information
See the resident FAQ: General Information/FAQ
Storm Water Management
In order to comply with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Riverlea is required to have a Storm Water Management plan . Part of the action plan is to keep residents informed of how you can help keep our waters clean.
Riverlea’s storm water drains discharge storm water directly into the Olentangy River. We must be careful not to pollute the storm water with any type of household or construction waste material.
Things you can do:
- Dispose of all waste appropriately.
- Do not pour any waste into the storm drains. This includes oils, grease, animal waste, litter, pesticides, etc.
- Recycle approved materials via the weekly trash pickup.
- Keep leaves and grass clippings out of the street and curbs.
- Dispose of Hazardous Materials at the Worthington Service Department.
- Educate and remind your children about these guidelines.
- Report any violations to the Village at (614) 547-3037.
Learn more about Water Quality on the United States Environmental Protection Agency website.
The Ohio Environmental Protection Agency Division of Surface Water website is also a good source of information.
With your help, we can help keep Ohio’s rivers clean.
Reports
Year 2015
- Images from the recent Stormwater Outfall Repairs, completed on December 18, 2015.
- USEPA OEPA Stormwater Management Guidance
- Riverlea draft Storm Water Management Plan (SWMP), recently updated, for the current (3rd generation) MS4 Permit period (2014-2018), and addresses the Storm Water Audit Findings & noted violations outlined in the Sep 26, 2014 letter from OEPA.
- OEPA Stormwater Program Phase 2 Factsheet [pdf]
- Public Education & Outreach on Stormwater Impacts
- Public Involvement/Participation
- Illicit Discharge Detection and Elimination
- Construction Site Stormwater Runoff Control
- Post-Construction Stormwater Management in New Development & Redevelopment
- Pollution Prevention/Good Housekeeping for Municipal Operators
- OEPA 2014-2019 3rd Gen Small MS4 Stormwater Permit
Ohio Environmental Protection Agency Authorization for Small Municipal Separate Storm Sewer Systems to Discharge Storm Water under the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System
- OEPA Riverlea Stormwater Audit Findings Sep 2014
Ohio Environmental Protection Agency Stormwater Audit Findings of Riverlea [pdf]
Year 2012
- Village of Riverlea Sanitary Sewer System Evaluation Study by Burgess & Niple, Engineers, Architects and Planners
Final Document [pdf](2,478)
Tabs 1-4 [pdf], pages 42-67 (6,638 K)
Tabs 5-7 [pdf], pages 68-79 (3,815 K)
Appendix A [pdf], pages 80-94 (3,515 K)
Appendix B [pdf], pages 95-149 (5,997 K)
Appendices C and D [pdf], pages 150-169 (4,210 K)
Year 2010
- Street Repairs Update: Report As of 09-14-2010, 2:30 pm
- Street Maintenance: Tentative Work Schedule & Sequencing: Resident Notifications & Parking / Limited Access Issues
Year 2009
- 302 West Riverglen Water Leak & Sanitary Sewer Repair
Report and pictures of repair of broken sewer line. - Street Evaluation and Improvement Program
Final Street Evaluation and Improvement Program Report, prepared by Burgess & Niple for the Village of Riverlea. August 2009 - Ohio EPA’s Findings and Orders (final F&O) for the Village of Riverlea This report, filed by the Ohio EPA,went into effect on Feb. 11, 2009. Because of it, the following two(2) reports were generated. Ohio EPA’s Findings and Orders
- Sewer Overflow Emergency Response Plan
The Sanitary Sewer Overflow Emergency Response Plan (SORP) is designed to ensure that every report of a confirmed sewage overflow is immediately dispatched to the appropriate crews so the effects of the overflow can be minimized with respect to impacts to public health and adverse effects on beneficial uses and water quality of surface waters and customer service. Sewer Overflow Emergency Response Plan - Sewer System Evaluation Study
The Sewer System Evaluation Study (SSES) is now available.- Riser Fact Sheet from Columbia Gas
Please call or text the Street Commissioner at 614-403-3733. He will help you to assess the problem. Riverlea is required to track all water in basement events and report the cause to OEPA in our annual sewer system reports.
If the Street Commissioner is unavailable, please consult the City of Columbus website for information to help you assess the problem and determine who to contact.
Riverlea does not have a sewer maintenance contract for our sanitary sewer and storm sewer systems. We own the lines and are responsible for all necessary maintenance and repairs. Please do not call the City of Columbus for basement flooding issues unless you are certain that the issue is due to a water supply line or water meter problem and you need to have the water service shut off at the curb to stop the leak.
The following guidelines are provided to help you to determine the source of your water in basement problem.
Sanitary sewer backups
If the water smells foul and/or is coming up through the basement floor drains, it is likely a sanitary sewer backup, either in the house service line (called a “lateral”) or in the main line in the street. Most sanitary sewer lateral backups are due to blockages caused by root growth into the lateral, resulting in partial or total flow obstruction and possible structural collapse of a section of the line. Check with your immediate “downstream” neighbors (those south or west (downhill) of you) to see if they are also experiencing a backup. If so, then the backup may be due to a blockage in the main sanitary line in the street. If this is the case, please call or text the Street Commissioner immediately at 614-403-3733 so that he can contact an emergency response contractor.
Repair of sanitary sewer laterals is the homeowner’s responsibility. The City of Columbus Department of Public Utilities maintains a list of approved water and sewer contractors who are licensed by the City to perform sewer and water line repairs. You will first need to create an account and then login to search for approved water/sewer contractors. Unfortunately the list is by sorted by individual licensee’s name and only includes the address, not the associated company’s name, address, phone number, or email.
Storm water
If the water is clear or muddy-brown and is coming in along the base of the walls, then it is probably storm water intruding through the foundation, due to high ground water, heavy rainfall, leaking gutters and/or blocked roof drains. If the water is coming up out of the sump pump pit, it is likely that the sump pump system has failed due to loss of power, a failed control float, the discharge line being blocked, or the discharge check valve being stuck open or closed.
If you cannot fix the sump pump problem yourself, contact a plumber. If water is entering through the walls or foundations, contact a professional specialty contractor who deals with basement water problems. If water is ponding around the outside walls due to leaking gutters or blocked downspouts or roof drains, contact a gutter or roof drainage contractor to help resolve the problem.
Water supply leaks
If the water is not coming up from the floor drains, through cracks in the walls, or from the sump pump pit, but you can hear water running in the house, then you probably have an interior water supply system leak, perhaps near the water meter at the water line service entrance.
If you cannot stop the leak using the shutoff valve on the upstream side of your water meter, call the City of Columbus Water Department Customer Service Line at 614-645-8276 (Monday to Friday, 7:00 am to 6:00 pm), or after hours call the Water Distribution Dispatcher at 614-645-7788 (24 hours), to request water shutoff at the curb box in your yard.
Please self-report all such water leaks directly to the City of Columbus Water Distribution Maintenance dispatcher’s office at 614-645-7788 (staffed 24 hours).
Please also call or text the Street Commissioner at 614-403-3733 to let him know that the leak has been reported.
Evacuate the building or area immediately.
From a safe distance, call Columbia Gas at 800-344-4077 and select option 1 from the automated menu for gas or carbon monoxide emergencies.
Do not turn on lights or use matches to try to find the source of the leak yourself.
Do not smoke, make a spark or flame, activate or switch on/off any electrical equipment, raise/lower windows, or re-enter the building.
Wait in a safe location for the crew to arrive to investigate the situation.
More information is available at the Columbia Gas website.
Only human waste and toilet paper should be flushed down the toilet. Other items can clog the sanitary sewer lines on your property or at the water treatment facility.
Items that should not be flushed down the toilet include:
- Tampons and sanitary napkins
- “Flushable” wipes or cleaning wipes of any kind
- Plastics, including dental floss, bandages, and condoms
- Paper towels, facial tissue, cotton balls, or cotton swabs
- Grease or cooking oils
- Cigarette butts
- Medication or chemicals
Riverlea’s lift station, which pumps waste from the lower portion of the Village to the main sanitary sewer line, often has to be cleared of improperly disposed items to keep it functioning. This creates a significant expense for the Village.
“Flushable” wipes do not break down quickly and are becoming a costly problem for sewage and water systems throughout the US and elsewhere.
Medications and hazardous materials can contaminate water and should not be disposed of in any toilet or drain.
Please call or text the Street Commissioner at 614-403-3733
Power outages
- Please self-report all power outages directly to AEP at 800-672-2231. The quantity and source location of calls will help them to determine the extent of the outage. Outages can also be reported online.
Potholes, broken storm drain grates or covers, broken or missing manhole lids
- Please call or text the Street Commissioner at 614-403-3733.
Fallen tree or large limb blocking the street
- During the work day, please call Sharon Township at 614-885-5933. They will remove the debris and bill the Village.
- After hours, please notify Worthington Police & Fire at 614-885-4463, and call or text the Street Commissioner at 614-403-3733. He will notify Sharon Township and put out traffic cones.
Dead deer in the street or yard
- If the carcass is still fresh, please call the Worthington Police dispatcher at 614-885-4463. They maintain a list of people who will come and take it for meat.
- If the carcass has been there for a while, please call Sharon Township at 614-885-5933. They will remove it for a disposal fee.
Major storm damage to your property
- Call your insurance company.
- Please call or text the Street Commissioner at 614-403-3733. He will log and report the damage to the Franklin County Emergency Management Agency and assist in their disaster recovery efforts.
Garbage collection issues and questions
- Please contact Local Waste Services at 614-409-9375 or online.
- See the Trash & Recycling page or visit the Local Waste Services website for more information about garbage collection in Riverlea.
Street light outages
- If there is a safety issue (sparking line down, glass in the street, etc), please call AEP at 800-672-2231 and Worthington Police & Fire at 614-885-4463.
- If the light is simply out, you can file a report with AEP online.
- Please call or text the Street Commissioner at 614-403-3733 to let him know that you filed a report.