Project Overview

Wade & Associates, A CH2M HILL Company, is teaming with the Community of Greatwood, Texas to conduct a Sanitary Sewer Evaluation Study and Smoke Testing Program.  Wade & Associates is proud to be a part of this important infrastructure project. 

A Sanitary Sewer Evaluation Survey (SSES) may consist of all or some of the parts described below. 

Our current involvement in the Greatwood Community Project includes Smoke Testing of sanitary sewers in the Study Area. Other SSES investigations are not planned at this time.

Door hanger notification for smoke testing of sanitary sewer lines in the Greatwood Community Study Area will be distributed at least 2-7 days before testing in the area begins. 


Smoke testing materials used are
NON-TOXIC, HARMLESS, ODORLESS, AND
CREATES NO FIRE HAZARD.

>> Smoke Material Safety Data Sheet

Wade & Associates recently completed SSES field investigations including smoke testing for the City of Kansas City, Missouri in the Brookside Neighborhood Study Area.

>>View the Smoke Test Video 

Our goal is to find and reduce defects in your wastewater collection system to eliminate future sanitary sewer overflows and backups and to control wet-weather flows.  Inflow & Infiltration reduction reduces costs of excessive relief sewer construction, protects the health and well being of the public and the environment. 

Evaluating Sanitary Sewers and Collection Systems

Inflow/Infiltration' (I/I) are common terms used for the introduction of excess water into a Sanitary Sewer System or Sanitary Collection System. This is typically in the form of rain and runoff from storms. The Sanitary Sewer System is not designed to handle such volumes of water as a storm can produce, so it becomes vitally important to identify where this water is entering the system. If too much water is entering the Sanitary Sewer System, it can lead to SSOs, sewage backups, and escaping of waste substances and chemicals. In general, a Sanitary Sewer Evaluation Study (SSES) may consist of all or some of the following parts:

Flow Monitoring: In order to determine the volume of water flowing through a sewer pipe, the flow must be monitored and measured. Once this is done, data analysis is completed to determine relationships between flows and rainfall data. The resulting data may also be used to build a computer model of hydraulic flows throughout the entire sewer system. This hydraulic model is highly useful in determining areas of stress, addressing capacity issues, and diagnosing problems in the sewer system.  A hydraulic model is also useful as a tool for future planning and development.

Smoke Tests: Smoke testing, often referred to as a "rainfall simulation test," is used to detect I/I sources in both the private and public sectors of a wastewater collection system. Smoke testing is performed by placing a smoke generator into the intake chamber of a high-capacity blower placed over an isolated sewer pipeline segment. Field crews monitoring the area document and photograph locations where smoke escapes the system at a defect or I/I source.

Structural deterioration of sanitary sewer pipeline and manholes are typical I/I defects which increase the frequency of unscheduled maintenance and associated capital expenditures. Although not a defect, one common escape route for smoke is the vent pipe. A vent pipe emerges from the roof of a private dwelling allowing the escape of sewer gasses before they enter the residence.  The smoke that can be seen coming from vent pipes or rising from areas in the ground is: 

NON-TOXIC, HARMLESS, ODORLESS, AND
CREATES NO FIRE HAZARD. 

Field crews distribute door hanger notification to residents and businesses in a neighborhood 2-7 days before smoke testing begins. The door hanger also contains useful information to help residents prepare for testing in their neighborhood. Although smoke testing does not create a fire hazard, field crews alert local fire departments and other officials of their planned activities as they progress through the study area conducting smoke tests. Wade & Associates smoke testing crews carry identification and use marked company vehicles.

Manhole Inspections: Fifty percent or more of water entering into the sewer system, and overloading the sewer pipes, enters through manhole structures. During these inspections, our trained field inspectors survey all manhole structures and components for defects, as well as incoming and outgoing sewer lines.

Visual Pipe Inspections: Commonly called 'lamping,' this is the process of entering a manhole and using a light and mirror to visually examine all sewer pipes entering and exiting the manhole to identify early signs of pipe deterioration, root intrusion, deposition and other defects.

Building Surveys: Smoke testing alone cannot confirm every possible I/I defect on a property. For this reason building surveys are conducted to detect and/or confirm potential I/I sources. During a building survey, crews examine private property for evidence of defects in the sewer line connections, called 'service laterals.' Such defects can lead to unwanted and potentially dangerous influx of gasses into residences. Such surveys are conducted with minimal disturbance to building residents and owners; special provisions are made to assure homeowners and occupants of the legitimacy of the survey and to communicate the importance of the information needed.

CCTV Inspections: This process involves transporting a closed-circuit TV camera through a sewer pipe. Engineers and technicians view the resulting footage and glean valuable data on conditions of the sewer pipe.

Dyed-Water Testing: Sometimes a simple visual inspection of a suspect I/I source cannot confirm if the source is connected to the sewer system. In this case, crews will introduce dyed-water into the suspect source. If dyed water shows up in the sewer system, the leak will be confirmed. This makes identifying leaks and breaks in the pipe much easier to identify.