A sewer fix for the rural Dellwood community may have to wait after the Dallas County Commission opened its first bid on the project. 

In November, the commission received a $350,000 grant to fix sewage pipelines on Dallas County Roads 911 and 912.

Houses in the area are several decades old, according to county commissioner Larry Nickels. When fully functional, Nickels said the pipes were 8 inches wide, but debris build up decreased the total capacity and pipes haven’t been updated since they were first built. As a result, residents say sewage lines can get clogged and back up into yards.

“We have to get the drainage flowing again,” Nickels said. “After so many years the pipes have just gotten clogged up and went from eight inches wide to four inches.”

During Monday’s commission meeting, county engineer Coosa Jones said it initially appeared as if the county had only received one bid for the project, which was more than the county’s planned amount.

But two bids were delivered to Probate Judge Kim Ballard’s Office.

The commission plans to open the other two bids on Monday, May 5 at 3 p.m.

If the first bid was any indication, Jones said the county could be forced to reject all bids and start the bidding process again.

“We will have to see how the other numbers fall out, but it is a possibility,” Jones said after the meeting.

In other news from Monday’s commission meeting:

•  Environmental Services director Larry Friday said the county is preparing to begin its annual mosquito-spraying program.

“We have been receiving some complaints about mosquitos and its about time to start,” he said.

• The commission also voted to partner with the Selma-Dallas County YMCA to receive a more than $14,000 Community Development Block Grant.

Ballard said the county would make any financial contribution, but would only receive the grant and pass it along to the YMCA.

“It does not cost the county anything other than sending a letter,” he said. “There is just a requirement that the grant come through a government entity.”

The grant will pay for more than 30 tons of shredded tires, according to YMCA director Anne Murray. She said the shredded tires would be use to resurface the bottom of the YMCA’s playground.