College Station Water Services will conduct routine smoke testing next week to evaluate the condition of wastewater lines in the area bounded by Holleman Drive, Wellborn Road, George Bush Drive, and Texas Avenue.
The testing will occur between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. from Monday through Friday. It will extend into the following week if needed.
Smoke testing identifies locations of defects and improper connections. Technicians blow an odorless, non-toxic mist into the sewer and wait to see where it leaks out. It may exit through vent pipes on roofs, wastewater utility holes, and the ground above breaks in the sewer system. Smoke might even find its way into service connections and vent from buildings served by the wastewater lines.
What are the benefits?
The wastewater collection system is designed to treat wastewater, not stormwater, and plays a vital role in maintaining local infrastructure. Excess water from inflow and infiltration takes up capacity in the pipes and ends up in treatment plants, where it is treated as sewage, resulting in higher treatment costs. (Inflow is stormwater that enters the sewer system through direct connections such as downspouts and drains connected to sewer service lines. Infiltration is rainfall that accumulates near sewer lines and enters the system through structural problems such as cracks and holes in the pipes.)
Is it dangerous?
An odorless, non-toxic, non-staining mist is used which is highly visible at low concentrations. It’s not actually smoke, so it isn’t hazardous. If mist enters a home, opening windows or doors will allow it to dissipate.
Typically, the smoke enters buildings through a dry P-trap — the curved portion of pipe under the sink — or outside the base of a toilet where the wax seal has come undone. This can be prevented by running water down infrequently-used sinks. (Regularly used sinks have water in the P-trap that keeps the smoke from entering.)
For more information, contact Jennifer Nations at (979) 764-6223. Report problems with water, wastewater, or electricity to utility dispatch any time at (855) 528-4278.
