The issue of deteriorating sewer lines came before the Smithville Board of Mayor and Aldermen last week, with the city voting to enter a contract with an engineering company to oversee the project.
Field Services Manager Daniel Tribble for the J.R. Wauford Company addressed the board at their last monthly meeting on Monday, March 7, saying the company is looking at lines in the Earl Avenue, West Main Street, and Carter Street area.
“The reason we are here is we have been requested to review sewer lines that have been identified by your city personnel that are subject to what is believed to be inflow. Inflow is simply when water that is collected in streets and roadways or flowing in ditches and creeks enters your sewer lines, which in turn increases the sewer that you have to treat at your wastewater plant. It’s something that every sewer system in the United States, and across the world, tries to prevent as much as possible.”
“Due to the estimated cost of this job and the available funds we (J.R. Wauford Company) have proposed a phased approach to complete rehabilitation of the subject lines. Phase one of this project includes the open cut sewer replacement of approximately 2,700 feet of sewer line along Earl Avenue, West Main Street, and Carter Street.
The second part of phase one of this job is the CCTV or closed-circuit television inspection of approximately 7,400 feet of sewer lines mostly in cross country areas that flow along creeks and not in roadways. Our plan is to review the CCTV footage and make a recommendation to the city as to the appropriate rehabilitation methods for these areas,” Tribble continued.
“The estimated cost of phase one of the project is $703,000. What we need to move forward is an executed contract between the City of Smithville and J.R. Wauford & Company in order for us to mobilize our survey crew and begin design work to get this project bid,” added Tribble.
Tribble explained that the vitrified clay pipe (VCP) has a certain life span over the years and simply deteriorates over time. He said that reports in the areas mentioned gravels, dirt, and other material that is not sewer, has been found and the lines are assumed to be failing or collapsing.
Tribble went on to say that more than likely the lines would be replaced with much more durable PVC pipe, which is a standard 8-inch known as SDR-26 sewer line pipe.
Aldermen voted to proceed with the bid process. Smithville’s share of American Rescue Plan Act (ARP) and Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) grant funds, would be used to for the project.
