BATH

Starting Monday the City of Bath is conducting a physical survey of the sanitary sewer system in the south end of the city, and will test from Corliss Street to Graffam Way.

This work will involve opening and entering manholes in the streets and easements. Part of the survey will be the “smoke testing” of sewer lines to locate breaks and defects in the sewer system. The smoke seen coming from the vent stacks on houses or holes in the ground is “non-toxic, harmless, has no odor, and creates no fire hazard,” the survey announcement states. “The smoke should not enter your home unless you have defective plumbing or dried up drain traps. If this occurs, you should consult a licensed plumber. In any event, if the harmless smoke can enter through faulty plumbing, the potential exists for dangerous sewer gases to enter your home. Should smoke enter your home, you may contact a member of the smoke testing crew working in the area and he will be pleased to check with you as to where and why the smoke has entered your home. If you have any seldom used drains, please pour water in the drain to fill the trap, which will prevent sewer gases or odors from entering the building.”

Some sewer lines and manholes are located on the backyard easement property line, which members of the inspection crews may need access to in order to investigate. Homeowners do not need to be home and the workmen will not need to enter homes.

The Public Works Department anticipates the smoke testing will take several days, and states, “The information gained from this study will be used to improve sewer services and may reduce the eventual cost to ratepayers.”

For more information, contact Wastewater Treatment Plant Deputy Superintendent Chris Wallace at [email protected] or 443-8348.

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