SANITARY SEWER SMOKE TESTING TO BEGIN JULY 13!! Beginning on Wednesday July 13, in the area marked in blue on the attached map, inspection crews will be conducting a physical survey of portions of the City of Port Lavaca’s sanitary sewer system using Smoke Testing to locate breaks and defects in the sewer system. These breaks and defects can lead to inflow and infiltration problems known as I&I. As the smoke testing study moves into other areas, door hangers with notification and additional information about the smoke testing will be placed on the doors of applicable locations one week prior to testing beginning in that area. This study will involve the opening of manholes in the streets and easements and blowing smoke into the sanitary sewer system from the manholes. The smoke that you may see coming from the vent stacks on houses or holes in the ground is NON-TOXIC AND CREATES NO FIRE HAZARD. The smoke should not enter your home unless you have defective plumbing or dried up drain traps. To prevent smoke from entering your home, please pour water in seldom-used sink drains, bathtubs, and toilets, to fill the trap. If the smoke does enter your home, it probably means that there are defects in the plumbing that could allow dangerous sewer gas to enter. Please note the location of the smoke and phone 361-552-3347 to arrange a meeting with an inspector. Open doors and windows to ventilate any smoke that enters the building. Note that drain traps should always be filled with water to prevent sewer gases or odors from entering the building.
Some sewer lines and manholes may be located in backyard easements. Whenever these lines require investigation, members of the inspection crews will need access to the easements for sewer lines and manholes. Please temporarily secure your pets away from these locations. Urban Surveying, Inc. (USI) field personnel are uniformed and will have the USI logo on their vehicles. Homeowners DO NOT NEED TO BE HOME and AT NO TIME WILL FIELD CREWS HAVE TO ENTER YOUR BUSINESS OR RESIDENCE. Working hours for crews in your area will be MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY FROM 8:00 A.M. TO 5:00 P.M. Your cooperation is appreciated. The information gained from this study will be used to improve your sewer services.
Q&A:
1) What is the benefit to my community?
Smoke testing is one technique used to identify areas where unnecessary groundwater or rainfall is entering the sewer system which can cause sewer backups, overflows, the inability to flush your toilets during rain events and higher costs for treatment.
2) What is smoke testing?
Using odorless, non-toxic liquid smoke and high-capacity blowers, smoke is forced through the sewer pipes. The blowers are placed on top of manholes. Anywhere the smoke exits, there is potential for rain or groundwater to seep into the sewer system.
3) How will I know when smoke testing will be performed in my neighborhood?
Approximately one week before smoke testing is scheduled to start, USI will place door hangers on the front door of every building where testing will be conducted. Signs will be prominently displayed on the street when smoke testing is in progress. Note: Not all areas of the City are included in the study at this time.
4) How are USI crews recognizable?
USI staff will wear apparel that is clearly marked with USI logos. The USI logo will also be visible on all vehicles.
5) Is the smoke hazardous?
Not at all. The smoke that comes out of the vent stacks on houses or holes in the ground is non-toxic, harmless, and has no odor. It does not create a fire hazard.
6) Do I need to do anything to prepare for smoke testing?
Drain traps should always be filled with water to prevent sewer gases from entering the building. About 3 cups of water should be poured in floor and sink drains, filling the traps to prevent smoke from entering the home. Please notify 361-552-3347 before the scheduled testing if there will be any animals or invalid or elderly persons alone in the building during the time of testing who may become alarmed if they see smoke. If harmless smoke can enter through faulty plumbing, the potential exists for dangerous sewer gases to also enter the home. Should smoke enter your building or structure, call 361-552-3347.
7) What if smoke shows in my yard or driveway?
This could mean that there is a drain on the property that is connected to the sewer lateral or that the lateral has breaks or cracks in the pipe that cause drain runoff after it has percolated into the soil.
8) Do I need to be home when smoke testing is performed?
Homeowners do not need to be home and at no time will field crews need to enter residences or buildings. Smoke testing crews will be noticeable documenting the testing, taking photos, and measuring distances.
9) What if a test yields no smoke defects?
Obviously, if the sanitary sewer line and the lateral are in good condition, and there are no drainage facilities connected to them, the smoke has no place to go other than up the house vent stack, as it is supposed to.
