HARRISONBURG, Va. (WHSV) – A blockage in a private sanitary sewer line at the Spotswood Valley Square Shopping Center in Harrisonburg caused multiple businesses to close Tuesday as the issue is addressed.
Michael Parks, the City of Harrisonburg’s director of communications and public engagement, told WHSV that Harrisonburg Public Works first became aware of the blockage Monday night and discovered that if the issue was not addressed immediately, it would result in discharge of the sewer that could reach Siebert Creek. The center is located between East Market Street and Country Club Road.
Harrisonburg’s public works and public utilities crews “have attempted to support the shopping center property management team in addressing the issue, however the matter was unable to be immediately rectified,” Parks said in an email. This resulted in the city asking the businesses that are connected to the affected sewer line to close until the property management team could repair the line. The only store in the shopping center that is unaffected is Kroger, which Parks said is connected to a separate line.
Because the affected line is private, Parks said it is up to the property management team, Silver Bears Real Estate, to work with a contractor and make the needed repairs.
“Harrisonburg Public Works team members visited every impacted business last night to make them aware of the necessity of this action and to try and answer any questions we can,” Parks said in an email. “We do not take such actions lightly — however we must ensure sanitary sewer waste does not reach the creek. We continue to stay in contact with the property management team and know they are doing everything they can to address the issue and protect the nearby waterway.”…