WESTERVILLE – Smoke testing of city sewers will soon begin inside parts of Westerville.
The following letter was recently sent to homeowners by the city’s Public Service department:
Dear Property Owner/ Resident
The City of Westerville will be performing sanitary sewer infrastructure inspections beginning the week of May 23. This 3-5 day study will be conducted by Duke’s Root Control to collect information on our current infrastructure and operational conditions.
The work involves inspecting the sewer mains in the area using smoke testing. During this process, non-combustible, non-toxic smoke is channeled into sewers to determine if rainwater is entering the sanitary sewer system. Smoke should not get into the building if the internal plumbing is free of defects and in normal working condition.
You will receive a door hanger several days in advance of the work. To reduce the chance of smoke entering the building, make sure drain traps are full of water. To do this, pour one gallon of water down the floor drain and any other seldom-used drain. The smoke used is white with a slight odor. It is non-combustible, non-toxic and leaves no residue. Additionally, workers may be required to access backyard easements, as some manholes are located there.
Residents with pre-existing skin, respiratory, pulmonary or lung disorders should use caution and avoid contact with the smoke. Anyone on oxygen should contact Duke’s Root Control at (888) 620-0010.
Homeowners do not need to be home and workers will not need to enter your home.
Thank you for your patience and cooperation. Please contact us with questions or concerns regarding installation: Westerville Public Service Department, (614) 901-6740 or [email protected]. You may also contact the Westerville Planning & Development Engineering Department by phone at (614) 901-6650.
Sincerely,
Kevin Weaver, Director of Public ServiceScott Tourville, City Engineer