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1. Why Is the City relining the Sanitary Sewer line connected to my residence or property?

A video inspection of the sanitary sewer line connected to your residence previously indicated that it needs to be rehabilitated. Reasons for rehabilitating the pipe may include:

• Old age
• Cracks
• Holes
• Sagging
• Roots
• Ground water infiltration

The types of existing pipes that we usually reline in this process are vitrified clay pipe (VCP) and concrete pipes (RCP). Sewer relining is a quick and economical process in lieu of replacing pipes by open excavation. This process prevents major disruptions to properties located along the sewer line.

2. How will my home/property be affected?

Residents may see activities related to the sewer lining for several weeks leading up to the actual lining. These activities may include:

• Assessment of flow conditions within the main sanitary sewer using remote controlled video cameras.
• Cleaning and inspecting the main sanitary sewer prior and after the sewer lining process is completed.
• Smoke testing to confirm connections between buildings and sewers and to potentially identify defective p-traps/venting within homes and businesses.

On the day of the work, you will be asked to minimize water use until the installation process is complete. During the installation process, the flow of wastewater from your property will be temporarily blocked. Using excessive amounts of water during this time could cause wastewater back-up into the drains or toilets in the lower levels of your property. Once the installation process is complete, you will be advised by an on-site representative that you can resume normal water usage. Residents may also experience loud noise from the equipment, unpleasant odor from the liner and parking restrictions.

3. How long is the installation process?

The sections of pipe are selected and scheduled so that the lining installation can be completed the same day that it is initiated.  Each property should only be impacted for one day to complete the installation and lateral reinstatement phases.

4. Which drains do I need to fill up with water? How do I know if I need to do this?

Any dry or unused drains that connect to the sanitary sewer system should be regularly filled with water to prevent sewer gases from entering the residence. 

These drains include:

• Floor drains: Most residential basements have one or more floor drains, usually near the water heater, washer/dryer and A/C unit.
• Seldom used bathtubs, showers, sinks, etc.: You may want to pour several cups of water in these fixtures because lack of use may have caused the drains to dry out over time.
• Sump pumps: Found in residential basements, sump pumps have a motor that turns on when the water table is above the foundation of the home. In some cases, older sump pumps may have been connected to the sanitary sewer system, therefore if your sump pump does not discharge to the outside of your house and the pump has not been running for a while, it is a good idea to pour water into the pit to allow the sump pump to run.   Incidentally, the connection of sump pumps to the sanitary sewer is not allowed by city code.  The City's Private Sewer Repair program exists whereby the city will pay the costs to disconnect your sump pump and bring this portion of your plumbing back into code compliance.  Learn more about the Private Sewer Repair Program.

5. How do my drains work?

The plumbing network within a house or business should have a couple of features, p-traps and venting, which work to prevent gases from the sewer or a septic system from flowing into the structure.  

P-traps, the curved section of piping located under sinks and floor drains and within toilets, work to retain water in the lower bend of the trap to create a water seal between the house and the sewer.  This seal prevents sewer gases from migrating into the structure.  

The vent pipe works to eliminate any pressure difference between the two sides of the p-trap seal  and keeps the seal in place.  

These same plumbing safety features work to keep out vapors that are emitted during the CIPP curing process.  Thus, it is important that property owners follow instructions provided near the time that lining takes place and ensure that any p-traps on drains or other plumbing fixtures that are seldom used have water in them sufficient to maintain the seal.  If vapors enter the structure during the CIPP lining process, it is an indication there is likely a defect in the structure’s plumbing that needs to be identified and fixed.  

6. What if I'm out of town during the CIPP lining work?

If you are out of town during this period, make sure your water traps are full. This will help reduce potential smells from entering your home. If you detect an odor, open your windows for a few hours to dissipate the smell and contact the CIPP lining on-site representative. 

7. Why can't you provide an exact pipe lining date?

Due to the nature of the work, the CIPP schedule is developed about a week prior. Crews need to clean and assess the pipes before the actual lining takes place which may result in last-minute adjustments to the schedule. All directly impacted residents will receive a door hanger or other notification approximately 24 hours prior to installation.  

8. What is styrene?

Styrene is a clear, colorless liquid that’s a component of materials used to make thousands of everyday products for home, school, work, and play. Styrene is used in everything from food containers and packaging materials to cars, boats, computers, and video games. Derived from petroleum and natural gas by-products, styrene helps create thousands of remarkably strong, flexible, and light-weight products. The styrene used in these products is manufactured synthetically in petrochemical plants. However, styrene also occurs naturally in the environment and is present in many common foods, such as coffee, strawberries, and cinnamon. 

For more information on styrene, visit the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Agency for Toxic Substances & Disease Registry (ATSDR) or the Environmental Protection Agency online.

9. Is styrene harmful to my health?

There have been varying reports/studies regarding the potential risks of Styrene at different concentration levels. In general, exposure to Styrene may cause nausea, eye and respiratory irritation, headache, etc. These effects usually go away with exposure to fresh air. However, exposure to excessive levels of Styrene or for long periods may result in more serious health concerns.  Thus, it is important for people to take preventative action if they start to experience any of the early symptoms listed above.  

For more information on styrene, visit the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Agency for Toxic Substances & Disease Registry (ATSDR) or the Environmental Protection Agency online.

10. What can I do to reduce my exposure to styrene?

To prevent Styrene gases from entering your home, pour water into your drains the night before or early morning the day the installation work is scheduled to be performed. Styrene gases do not remain in the air for long periods of time, so if Styrene gas has entered the residence, we recommend opening windows and allowing fresh air to circulate inside your home and/or leaving the residence for a few hours. 

For more information on styrene, visit the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Agency for Toxic Substances & Disease Registry (ATSDR) or the Environmental Protection Agency online.

11. Why do I smell styrene in my home?

If you smell styrene in your home, this could be an indicator of a plumbing issue such as a broken or clogged pipe or a dry p-trap. If you have already taken measures to ensure that your p-traps contain water, you may want to contact a plumber to investigate any potential issues.