Sewer Break

Free flowing sewer lines are one of those things that the public takes for granted. However, things don't always go to plan, particularly in the parts of the system where there is a preponderance of smaller force mains instead of a large gravity line. The building community prefers to build the smaller force mains as they are much less costly upfront. Unfortunately, they are much less reliable in the long run.

We are in the process of very fruitful discussions with the building community to minimize the use of force mains in the future. However, we've got plenty within our overall system right now, and yesterday is an example of the downside to having extensive force mains within the sewer system.

The Woodward Avenue 12" sewer force main ruptured sometimes late Thursday or Friday morning. A citizen reported it to George Ground, Senior Construction Inspector, while he was inspecting a nearby job site early Friday morning. The rupture occurred approximately 300 feet east of the intersection of Pagola and Woodward. Sewage lifted the asphalt, flowed into the storm drain system, through the Antigua storm drain pump station and discharged to SSJID Lateral X-Ya Connection. SSJID had a valve closed further downstream, which prevented contamination beyond that point. However, the closed valve meant that flows were forced upstream in the lateral. Jay Kirby, WQCF Lead Maintenance Worker determined that the contamination went upstream in the lateral and was discharging to an orchard.

REMEDIATION:

George Ground contacted Knife River Construction to immediately begin repairs. The contractor was on site assessing the situation by 8:30 a.m. Jay Kirby locked out all sewer pump stations discharging to this force main. The Antigua Storm Drain Pump Station is not flowing as no flows are going to the basin. WQCF staff brought in a VacCon truck, cleaned up the street and began cleaning the storm drain system. Around 11:15 a.m. Jay Kirby redirected the VacCon crew to the SSJID lateral to begin drawing down that line to prevent further flows to the orchard. Water samples have been and more will be taken by WQCF staff to establish the limits of contamination. SSJID had been notified and had an inspector on site by 9:30 a.m. Jay Kirby arranged for sewage haulers to begin drawing down the wetwells in the locked out sewage pump stations, and assist with the emptying of the SSJID lateral.

By 6 p.m. Knife River had repaired the pipe and filled in the hole. Fill material was too wet for final placement. Dryer material will be brought in on Monday and backfill properly placed. The force main is back in service. Jay Kirby is metering flow from all influent sewer pump stations in order to provide service to all areas. Jay Kirby and Paul Hafer from the WQCF were on site manning a 4" sewer pump that was being used to remove sewage from the SSJID lateral. A contract sewage hauler was also on site assisting with the draining of the lateral. The plan is to dewater the lateral, jet it, dewater again and then place it back in service. Tim Carroll from the WQCF will be in on Saturday and Sunday with a crew from WQCF to finish cleaning the SSJID lateral. Tim Carroll will call SSJID when the lateral can be placed back in service.

Hats off to George Ground, Jay Kirby, Paul Hafer and other WQCF personnel that I do not know by name, as well as Knife River for getting this force main back in service ASAP. As a point of reference it took approximately 9 hours, once discovered, and under ideal conditions, to put this line back in service. Thanks to Jim Stone for stopping by in the afternoon to check on the situation and offer input to its solution.