#154534
Ever since moving to East Norriton in 1992, we have watched our East Norriton sanitary sewers overflow into Stony Creek after every heavy rainstorm. Over twenty years ago a resident observed sewer overflows when working on the west end of East Norriton. The township supervisors have known about the problem for years. Finally, after being faced with fines and a moratorium on sewer permits from the DEP, plus increased sewage disposal expenses, the township hired ARRO Consulting in 2005 to analyze the causes of the sewage problem. ARRO engineers have found root infestation and broken pipes in the laterals from individual homes to the main sewer line. More details can be found on the township web site at http://www.eastnorritontwp.org/works.html#sewer

The township has required individual residents to repair their lateral sewer lines at costs ranging around 3 to 10 thousand dollars. At the February township meeting some residents protested that the Abbonizio Contrators, retained by the township for the purpose of sewer repair, required full payment 30 days before work was to begin. The township supervisors told the residents they were free to hire their own contractor. Residents claimed that the expensive sewer repairs are hard on household budgets and they wished that they had more than the 90 days allowed by the township to find a contractor and arrange financing.

Just as we replaced our roof, we will repair our sewer laterals, if necessary. We will face the financial pain by reminding ourselves how this will improve the water quality in our watershed, preserve the value of our house and neighborhood and help to lower the sewage waste disposal charges for township residents. However, my neighbors and I can’t help but wonder why our sewer laterals built in the 1970’s lasted less than 20 years before they caused a visible infiltration and overflow problem. We wonder if they were properly installed and inspected during construction? What can we do to make sure our repairs last longer this time? Township residents were told that the contractors do not warranty their repairs for any length of time.
Last edited by Virginia Fitzpatrick on Sat Mar 31, 2007 9:48 am, edited 1 time in total.
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By mzpaula
#154729
Hey Virginia, I see that folks have already started to view your post. Keep up the good work!
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By loafer
#155432
Virginia,

If you can tell me what kind of material was used in the 70s I may be able to tell you why they are failing.

Also I think your system is a combined sewer not just sanitary sewers.

Storm water plus sanitary = combined.

As far as making sure the new laterals are installed properly that should be the job of the township or utility construction inspecters.

I'll talk to one of my inspecters at work to see what you can do as a home owner to insure the jobs done right.

Hope I can help!
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By Virginia Fitzpatrick
#160900
With all the rain and Snow April 15 and 16, this East Norriton sewer cover has been overflowing for 24 hours - adding to the pollution and flooding of Stony Creek. Repairing our sewer laterals should mitigate this problem.

[img]http://mywebpages.comcast.net/VirginiaFitzpatrick/images/Sewer070416_w.jpg[/img]
Last edited by Virginia Fitzpatrick on Sun Sep 09, 2007 8:56 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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By Virginia Fitzpatrick
#165153
According to this article, which appeared in The Times Herald May 2, 2007 at
http://www.timesherald.com/WebApp/appma ... =/NTH/Home

, we owe thanks to our State Rep. Jay Moyer http://www.repmoyer.com/

$550K secured for sewer fix
By CARL ROTENBERG

HARRISBURG - The state Department of Environmental Protection has awarded a $550,000 grant to help more than 210 East Norriton residents replace broken and sagging sewer laterals that have contributed to sewage overflows into a branch of the Skippack Creek.

The grant, 46 percent of an original, $1,185,909 request for supplemental repair funding sought by state Rep. Jay R. Moyer, R-Dist. 70, in mid-March, was announced Monday.

"I am very pleased about the grant," Moyer said. "It's the best call I've gotten as a freshman representative."

"I know the residents are having a difficult time coming up with the money," Moyer said. "It will soften the financial blow for some East Norriton residents."
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Residents on the western side of the township were given plumbing estimates that ranged between $3,000 and $8,000 to replace the sewer laterals from the home to the sewer line in the street.

"Inflow" and "infiltration" of rainwater into broken sewer laterals has contributed large quantities of rainwater to the sewage treatment system. The excess sewage during and after rainstorms has caused sewage overflows at the Germantown Pike sewage pump station.

The original $1,185,90 grant request sought $828,382 for sewer lateral replacements, $200,714 for engineering fees, $114,813 to "slip line" the Taft Road sewer interceptor and $42,000 for sewer pump station upgrades.

East Norriton supervisors' chairman Donald J. Gracia was thrilled by the grant announcement.

"I feel great. It's a big help for everybody," Gracia said. "I feel great for the residents. Jay did a great job getting this money for us."

Gracia was unsure how the $550,000 would be distributed.

"I'm going abstain from the decision because I have a vested interest in this," he said. "I'm one of the residents that has to replace their sewer line."

Gracia has not signed up for the sewer replacement work yet because he is waiting for a second plumber's estimate, he said.

"There is a fair and equitable way to distribute these funds," he said. "Our general feeling was that if we got the grant we would worry about distribution formulas later on."

DEP officials will work with the township on the process for receiving the funds to make the needed repairs.

"Sewer repairs can be very costly ? not only for the municipality, but also for homeowners," Moyer said. "I am pleased I was able to help secure these funds so that this work can be done in a timely and efficient manner."

Carl Rotenberg can be reached at crotenberg@timesherald.com or 610-272-2500, ext. 350.
#171197
On April 22 a small crowd showed up at the monthly Supervisors township meeting to learn the latest developments on the sewer repairs. Supervisor Don Gracia warned that there are many rumors about the sewer repairs circulating that just are not true and the citizens should check the facts with the township. There was a general discussion about the grant money from DEP. I got the impression that the grant money will be used for partial reimbursement to those who have completed their repairs. It will not be available before the repairs are made and citizens should not wait for grant funds to arrive in order to upgrade their sewer laterals.

So far about two dozen of the 109 residents that are required to repair their laterals have done so. While residents are financially responsible for their lateral repairs, the township is spending about $186,000 to slip line the main sewer line along the creek between Woodland and Germantown Pike. I will be watching the work and its effect on overflow.

The flow in our current sewer system is beyond the capacity of the pump station along Germantown Pike just East of Burnside. The DEP will not allow additional sewer laterals for new homes that feed into the pump station until our current sewer system is upgraded. However, the township has already granted sewer lateral permits to Pimlico Farms, a partially completed development by Gambone Inc. at the corner of Germantown Pike and Potshop road across from Paul Fly elementary school. The township supervisors consider themselves under time pressure to met DEP standards for the sewer system in order to fulfill their obligation to developer Gambone, who will not be able to sell the homes until they are connected to the sewer system.

If you have had experience with a lateral repair, please post your wisdom about such on this forum.
Last edited by Virginia Fitzpatrick on Sun Sep 09, 2007 8:59 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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By Virginia Fitzpatrick
#175512

Stopping groundwater infiltration that overwhelms our sewers


[img]http://mywebpages.comcast.net/VirginiaFitzpatrick/images/NewHopePipe_w.jpg[/img]
As pictured above, men from New Hope Pipeliners, LLC began work June 13th, 2007 installing a sewer line along the Stony Creek tributary between Sunset and Taft. Instead of digging up the old ceramic sewer piping, they relined the old pipe from the sewer manholes with a polyester felt tube saturated with a thermosetting resin. In the foreground, the workmen are plugging the liner. The man to the far right is holding the line which will pump steam through the liner to cure the resin. I first saw this technique on PBS “This Old House” TV show. Lining has been a cost effective way to upgrade sewers in old East Coast cities.
Last edited by Virginia Fitzpatrick on Sun Jul 29, 2007 9:03 am, edited 1 time in total.
#181824
Early this morning (July 9th, 2007) N. Abbonizio & Sons Contractors had their trucks and equipment on Eisenhower Drive about a block from Paul Fly Elementary . As you can see below, they dug an 8.5 foot trench for the new sewer lateral to be installed. This trench was one of the deepest they have dug so far. Most are between 4 and 8 feet deep.

[img]http://mywebpages.comcast.net/VirginiaFitzpatrick/images/deep_ditch.jpg[/img]

Below is a segment of the old clay pipes the contractors dug up. The old pipes were only 4 feet long and water could seep in through loose joints. The 4 inch diameter cast iron pipes coming from the house were set inside the 6 inch clay pipe. The joint was then surrounded by cement. The cement cracked and the joints failed because they were just set in fill dirt.

[img]http://mywebpages.comcast.net/VirginiaFitzpatrick/images/clay_pipe.jpg[/img]

The new plastic piping will be surrounded by 6 inches of stone above and below to prevent saging. On the left side of the picture below is the new 14 foot x 4 inch plastic piping that will be installed as the new sewer lateral. The join with the 6 inch plastic pipe is held firm with a rubber gasket. This new technology has only been in use about 10 years in this area, so there is no real world experience with how long these plastic sewer laterals will last under the conditions in East Norriton. Theoretically it should last much longer than the old system, partly because of the materials but also because of the more careful installation.

[img]http://mywebpages.comcast.net/VirginiaFitzpatrick/images/abbonizioTruck.jpg[/img]
#198245
At the East Norriton township meeting last night (09/25/07) an Arrow Engineering representative reported on the progress made to date on the 251 sewer lateral repairs mandated by the township. Repairs needed to be made by the end of August for compliance with the EPA and to qualify for grant assistance. To date 197 residents have paid the contractor hired by the township to repair their laterals. The contractor has completed 143 lateral repairs. They have a backlog of 89 laterals yet to be repaired. They have one crew that is completing the job at a rate of about 2 laterals per day. Private contractors were used by 35 residents to make lateral repairs. Along Hayes, Polk and Kennedy there are 20 residents who are not in compliance with the mandate. There are 10 properties along Whitehall Road that have until October 31st to met a later deadline mandated by the township supervisors. Considering how demanding the sewer lateral mandate was with regard to expense and deadlines, our neighborhood has done well. (':)')
Smile

There was discussion at the township meeting about final repairs to lawns and the street surface now that most of the new lateral installations are complete. The lawns should be finished this Fall as soon as the weather cools. Asphalt production closes in November, so the street resurfacing will not be completed until next Spring. Township officials expressed concern over damage to township snowplowing equipment caused by the uneven street surface. The contractor said they would inspect for problems.

The sewer lining along Stony Creek between Woodland and Germantown Pike cost the township $30,000. The good news - this entire project has reduced the water infiltrating our sewers on a non-rainy day by 200 gallons and there was no overflow on our last rainy day this summer (too long ago). As you can read in my above post I have been tracking overflow in the man hole cover near my home. I will report its behavior the next time we have a heavy down pour over 2 inches, which historically has caused a geyser to discharge from the manhole cover. The overall reduction in water infiltrating our sewer laterals should reduce our township fees to the sewer authority - a plus to the community. (':P')

Next the Township plans to stabilize the stream bank along the area of the new sewer liner. The job will be done in-house by the township.