Why is the town conducting this project?
The Town Staff are always investigating the infrastructure within the town to monitor its condition and life span. Due to extensive work by our sewer maintenance staff within the infrastructure and excessive volume data recorded at the wastewater treatment plant the Town Staff determined the need to conduct a sanitary sewer engineering services survey (SSES) on the entire public sewer system. A specific target area was identified for Phase 1 study based on current known factors.
Will the entire town sewer network be evaluated, and recommendations made for similar types of maintenance and repairs?
Yes. The Town had made a commitment of time and funds to evaluate the entire system over the next several years. As each target area is identified and studied a recommendation for repairs will be determined then contractors procured to conduct the necessary work.
What is a Sanitary Sewer Engineering Services Survey (SSES)?
The Town employed, through the procurement process, professional engineering services for the development of construction documents to meet the recommendations outlined in the Town’s most recent Infiltration and Inflow and SSES reports. These services included but were not limited to sewer mapping, flow monitoring, sanitary sewer modeling, future flow projections, alternatives analysis, Manhole Assessment and Certification Program (MACP) and Pipeline Assessment and Certification Program (PACP), certified inspections of manholes and/or pipes, smoke testing, pump station assessments, preliminary engineering report development, capital improvements plan development and associated project budgeting, design, project management, funding coordination, phase planning, survey and easement acquisition, permitting, bidding assistance, construction administration, and construction inspection.
When was the Phase 1 investigation and inspection work conducted?
The Town executed an agreement with The Lane Group on June 22, 2022, to conduct the SSES Study. Shortly thereafter The Lane Group began deploying flow monitoring devices followed by smoke testing. Closed Circuit TV (CCTV) work was conducted confirming results from the smoke testing while revealing additional issues and concerns throughout the system. This data was analyzed and compiled into the Comprehensive Report along with recommendations for repairs. The final project manual was prepared, along with necessary permits, for release for construction.
What is sanitary sewer smoke testing?
A. Sanitary sewer smoke testing is one of the best and most cost-effective ways to locate defects in the main and lateral sewer lines. This is why the town implements sanitary smoke testing as their method to assess the sewer system.
B. Smoke testing identifies problems in all the connected lines even in sections that were not known to exist. Although video inspection and other techniques are proven to be useful, there are times when research has shown that more than half of all stormwater flows in from somewhere other than the main line.
C. With sanitary smoke testing, smoke travels through the system, locating and identifying problems in all the lines. Experts recommend this to be done when the weather is dry, this allows smoke to travel to the surface. It is also a relatively simple process that consists of blowing smoke mixed with a large amount of air into the sanitary sewer line through a manhole.
D. Smoke may also appear through floor drains and gutter downspouts revealing a connection to the sewer system.
What are closed circuit television (CCTV) sanitary sewer inspections?
A. Closed Circuit Television Video (CCTV) sewer inspection refers to the process of using a camera to see inside of pipelines, sewer lines, or drains. CCTV cameras allow town staff to see the root causes of sewer issues without needing to conduct more invasive methods.
B. These types of sewer inspections tend to be a more cost-effective way to pinpoint the location of sewer and pipe blockages.
C. CCTV video cameras can help the town find the exact cause of sewer damage, including:
i. Root intrusion.
ii. Earthquake damage.
iii. Pipe cracking.
iv. Offset joint pipes.
v. Corrosion.
vi. Deterioration over time.
vii. Poor installation or previous repair efforts.
viii. Accidental puncturing.
ix. Severe blockage.
What are the Target Areas for Phase 1?
Map of the entire Phase 1 work area:
What repair techniques will be utilized for this project?
A. Spot Repairs – This process involves exposing and fixing a particular segment of the public sewer main. In many cases, a defect in one section of a pipe can cause a problem in the entire system. This method is known as point, local, or selective repair. These pinpoint locations were determined using the CCTV method.
B. Cured-in-Place-Pipe Lining (CIPP) – It requires little or no digging and significantly less time to complete than other sewer methods. The method using the existing line that has been determined through CCTV to be structurally suitable to last for many more years once it has been re-lined on the inside wall.
i. The Process - A high strength woven fiber that is saturated with a special type of epoxy resin mix is used to line the old pipe. The contractor then inserts the lining into the existing damaged pipe, making sure the problem area is being addressed. Once the pipe lining has been inserted all throughout, they will expose the liner to high wattage Ultraviolet Light, to cure, or harden, the liner inside of the pipe. The liner then becomes flush with the existing pipe, essentially creating a pipe within a pipe.
ii. Does this work for ALL sewer lines – The answer to this question is NO. If the line in question has become irreversibly damaged, corroded/deteriorated, or is no longer structurally suitable, there will be no choice but to use the traditional method and dig up trenches to replace the pipes.
C. Dig and Replace – Involves trenching down to the existing line, removing the damaged segment, and installing a new pipes.
i. How deep are sewer lines? Lines can be as shallow as 30” or as deep as 6+ ft.
ii. What size pipes are being replaced? Lines vary from 4” up to 18” within the project target areas.
iii. How long will it take to replace lines crossing my property? Typically, most lines can be done in 1 or 2 days but can take up to 5 days depending on terrain, structures and available access.
What was the process for determining the type of repairs made on lines running through each property?
i. The engineering firm selected for this project installed flow monitors in manholes to collect data flow characteristics in dry and wet weather situations. They also conducted smoke testing throughout the target area to determine the integrity of the lines and sewer system. Each of the lines within the target area we also videoed using a closed-circuit television (CCTV) system to view and inspected the pipes for separation, cracking, root intrusion, offset joint pipes, corrosion, deterioration over time, poor installation or previous repair efforts, accidental puncturing, sagging and ponding, severe blockage, etc.
ii. Through hundreds of hours of investigation and review by the engineering firm and Town Staff each segment was evaluated and repair techniques recommended. An extensive number of factors were considered and discussed when making the final recommendations for repairs. These included but not limited to the extent of damage and deterioration, location, terrain, property access, surrounding infrastructure, time, availability of access, manholes, pump around systems, impact on property owners, type of equipment for conducting the necessary repairs and many others.
Will my business or access to my property be affected?
There will be temporary interruptions in normal day-to-day patterns as work is conducted in the right-of-way area and across properties. Advanced warning will be given to allow for alternate routes. The Town assures that every effort will be made to minimize impacts and appreciates your understanding in this process to improve the aging infrastructure throughout the Town.
Will my sewer system still work while the work is being conducted at or near my home or business?
Yes. A bypass system will be used to maintain the existing services throughout the target area being repaired. Vacuum trucks, bypass pumping manhole to manhole and other controlled methods will be established.
Will my property be safe to use once the work is conducted?
Yes. The contractor will make every effort to keep any contaminated soils separated and removed when they close-up the worksite and move to the next targeted segment.
What if I have drains or sump pumps attached to my sewer lines?
The Town nor its contractor will conduct any work on private property. It is the responsibility of each property owner to disconnect or have a professional make the disconnection. This is a violation of the Town Ordinance and should be corrected in a timely manner.
How would I know if my drains or sump pump is connected to my sewer lines?
Smoke testing conducted in the SSES Study revealed open exits of smoke along each segment tested. This included noting smoke escaping from gutter downspouts. These were noted in the final report supplied to the Town. Property owners will be notified of this finding to work to resolve the issue.
How can I assist the town with this project?
A. Please refer to this page for updates on the project, work locations and changes in traffic patterns. We will do our best to keep you informed of our progress.
B. Please keep any pets out of the affected work locations until the work is completed.
C. Please don’t park any vehicles or equipment in the immediate work area of the project on your property.
D. Please make sure that the access point to the work area is kept free and clear of obstructions.