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Sewers 101
Consent Order, Feasibility Study, Operation and Maintenance
What Has Been Going on with the Sewers and How the Township Has and Is Staying in Compliance
Ruthann Omer, PE, Township Engineer
It is time for the third article in the “Sewers 101” series. In previous “Sewer 101” articles you learned about “Basic Sewer Knowledge,” received “Definitions to Go,” and are now experts regarding ALCOSAN. With this article, you will learn about some of the Township’s requirements of the Consent Order. The Township and all municipalities in the ALCOSAN service area signed the Consent Order in 2004. A Consent Order is an agreement between the Township, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and Allegheny County Health Department to achieve compliance with the Clean Water Act during periods of wet weather. The Consent Order is a binding, legal document that is certified by a federal judge and, therefore, recognized by the court. The Consent Order requires numerous tasks to take place over the next 20 years. The Township is diligently working on these tasks under the direction of the Township commissioners, overseen by Township manager Matthew Serakowski, and implemented by Public Works director George Kostelich, Jr. and Dave Kutschbach, superintendent of projects. Currently, the Township is in compliance with the work due to the guidance and direction of the commissioners. Following are some of the tasks that are required to be completed under the Consent Order agreement: Mapping. Mapping of the sanitary sewer collection system is required. The GIS mapping is required to show street locations, manhole and piping locations, and size and material of the sewers. The Township’s mapping has been updated and continues to be revised as changes are made or discovered. Manhole Inspection and Repairs. The Township has approximately 6125 manholes and all of them have to be inspected.
Sanitary Sewer Backups AND your homeowner’s coverage The Township maintains over 158 miles of underground sewer lines. There is no way to predict when the next sanitary sewer backup will occur. And while only a handful of our residents experience a significant sanitary sewer backup each year, we know that when it does occur, it is a distressing situation. It can be even more devastating if a resident is not insured for losses—losses that can easily run into tens of thousands of dollars. Sewer Backup Insurance Homeowners can alleviate possible sewer-related damage expenses by contacting their property insurance provider to verify that they have sewer backup coverage. Most homeowners’ insurance policies do not automatically include coverage for these occurrences. Given the potential for significant loss, it would be advisable for homeowners served by a public sewer system, particularly those with finished basements, to obtain some level of coverage. Lastly, if you experience a floor drain backup or otherwise suspect a sanitary sewer problem, contact the Township’s Public Works Department immediately at 412-831-9000, extension 271. 56
UPPER ST. CLAIR TODAY
Winter 2014
This task involves lifting the lids of the manholes, entering the manhole to inspect for any needed repairs, and repairing leaks, bricks, or pipe work within the manhole. Clean and Internally Televise the Systems. The Township has closed circuit televised (CCTV) 1,610,477 lineal feet of sanitary sewers within the Township. This involves running a TV camera using cables through all the sewers. A video is produced and all the videos are reviewed to NASSCO standards. This standard is an engineering standard used throughout the country that determines the condition of the pipe and what level of repair a sewer may need. Repairing the Sewers. There are various types of repairs that can be done on the sewers: excavation repairs, internally corrected repairs, or pipe bursting. These repairs can either be complete in small sections—as little as six feet—or can involve a complete segment from one manhole to the next. • Excavation repairs. An open cut repair involves digging up the pipe and replacing it to correct defects found during CCTV work. It can be one pipe length or several. There have been approximately 2690 open cut excavation repairs completed since 2004, equaling approximately 35,750 linear feet of replaced pipe. • Internally corrected repairs. Lining involves placing a fabric “sock” in the sewer and using either hot water or steam to expand it to create a new pipe within a pipe. This process corrects defects from the inside and is advantageous because the ground is not disturbed and no restoration is needed. • Spot liners. A spot liner is used to correct a smaller length defect within sanitary sewer. Approximately 1920 spot liners were installed since 2004. • Manhole to manhole liners. Approximately 28,430 feet of sewers were lined manhole to manhole. • Pipe bursting. Pipe bursting is a trenchless method of replacing pipes by launching a new pipe from pits at both ends. This method still involves restoration; however it is minimized and can be used in more difficult situations. Approximately 101,340 feet of pipe were pipe burst. • Dye testing. Each test involved checking downspouts and driveway drains to see if they are tied into the sanitary sewers. Sanitary sewers are not for storm water. Storm water entering the system can and does cause flooding. If illegal connections are discovered, they are removed from the system. Approximately 22,100 dye tests were performed. The Township has already completed a lot of work and has done a great job staying in compliance and keeping our sanitary sewers in good shape. In addition to the above tasks, the Township was required to prepare a feasibility study. The study identified if a system had the capacity to handle water flow. If the flow was not properly handled, the study proposed projects to increase the capacity. The next time you see a Township truck or contractor working on the sanitary sewers, you’ll know that their efforts are towards keeping our sewers working and in proper order. n Look for the next “Sewers 101” article in TODAY to learn about future projects and related costs to the Township.