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Back-up engineers. “The catch here was that the city needed a Plan for plug that could sit in the main line, but plug off Sewers only those customers who haven’t paid."

R esidents of Boise, The undergraduates’ solu­ Idaho, who don’t tion; an 18-inch section of pay their sewer bills pipe with a slightly narrower 'could be in deep doo-doo— diameter than a sewer trunk literally. pipe, fitted at both ends with Seeking to recoup nearly inner tubes. Guided by video $1 million in unpaid sewer cameras, the contraption is fees, the city’s Public Works installed in the sewer trunk at Department is preparing to the intersection of the deli- block delinquents’ sewer lines, quent property’s sewer tribu- “Unlike other cities, Boise tary pipe. Once the tubes are can’t enforce its sewer fees by inflated.thedelinquent’strib- shutting off the water supply utary pipe is clogged, but to delinquent customers,” sewage in the trunk pipe can says Richard Dees, the flow through the narrow pipe. agency’s operations manager. The city now has a half- A private company supplies dozen of the $64 devices to fit Boise’s water; the city con- two different sewer-trunk trols only the sewers. And a sizes. Officials intend to use 1989 decision by the state them only after sending sev- Supreme Court barred Boise eral warning letters. Critics, from using property-tax liens however, are concerned that to collect overdue utility bills, the city’s approach could lead So the city enlisted a group to low-income families living of University of Idaho engi- in demeaning conditions. neering students to develop “If we were convinced a temporary sewer plug, fund- that someone was truly ing their year-long research unable to pay, then we to the tune of $4,000. would not attempt to shut “The plugs that are out off their service,” says Neal there now block off the Oldemeyer, public works whole sewer line,” explains administrative manager. Chris Reeder, one of the —MctrtinStabe

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