Posted on: Wednesday, July 28, 2004
Tests find 20 leaky sewer lines
By Anna Weaver
Advertiser Staff Writer
KAILUA — One out of eight homes tested in an Enchanted Lake neighborhood yesterday have flaws in their drain pipes that could contribute to sewage spills, the city said yesterday.
Photos by Richard Ambo • The Honolulu Advertiser If a problem is found on private property, homeowners may have pay to fix it, from $4 for a new cleanout cap to thousands of dollars to replace underground pipes.
"We're doing (the smoke testing) more as a public education for people to understand why there are so many wet-weather (sewage) spills," said Lori
Kahikina-Moniz of the Department of Environmental Services' Division of Collection System Maintenance. "We want to let them know that the city is doing something proactive to trace and reduce the problem. But we do need the help of all homeowners."
Crews are detecting leaks by putting smoke into the sewer system and seeing if, and where, it emerges from the ground. Out of about 160 homes checked on Kahako Street and Kahako Place, 20 were found to have violations.
The percentage was "right about where we thought it would be," Kahikina-Moniz said. Previous sewer surveys in Waimalu and Foster Village showed a similar number of problems, Kahikina-Moniz said.
In 10 of the 20 cases, smoke puffed out of a home's rain gutter downspout, a telltale sign that the rain gutter system is improperly routed to drain into the sewer system instead of into a storm drain or onto the yard.
Three or four "laterals," or drain pipes leading from a house to the sewer system, were found to have problems.
The rest of the problems involved missing or cracked caps on cleanout vents to the sewer pipes.
The city said it will install new cleanout caps on most properties. Caps that are not easily accessible must be replaced by residents.
Rain gutters that feed into sewers instead of storm drains can be repaired by homeowners for less than $100, Kahikina-Moniz said.
Homeowners can help keep sewers from being clogged or overloaded by: • Replacing missing cleanout caps to prevent rainfall, rats and other objects from entering sewers. • Making sure rain gutters and outdoor drains do not empty into sewers. • Keeping grease and cooking oil out of drain pipes. Pour it into a container and throw it away. Source: City Dept. of Environmental Services Broken pipes that are under a home add to the cost.
Baker said an initial cost evaluation is made by putting a camera into the sewer line to check conditions.
"It's gotten more and more frequent," said contractor Chris Bartels, who has lived in Kailua for thirty years. He says he often swims and dives at Kailua Beach and knows the risks sewage spills pose for the environment. "Something definitely needs to be done."
Bartels was working at a home on Kahako Place with his company, Bartels Builders Inc., when testing began in front of the home.
"Anything they can do to help the problem, I think, is great," he said.
Homeowners will be notified by mail within two weeks if their homes have rainwater leakage. While there is not a specific time period repairs must be made in, noncompliance could eventually result in fines, city officials said.
Reach Anna Weaver at aweaver@honoluluadvertiser.com or 535-2455.
The findings came on the first day of a weeklong "smoke testing" campaign to pinpoint spots where rainwater can enter and overload the sewer system, causing spills like those in Kailua triggered by last winter's storms.
City sewer maintenance worker Carl Perry stands over a manhole into which smoke is being pumped so that city crews can find leaks in Kailua sewer lines. About one in eight homes show problems.
The city set off smoke bombs such as this one to help pinpoint leaks in sewer lines that could contribute to spills.
Smoke comes from a rain gutter on a house on Kahako Place, indicating the gutter is improperly connected to the city sewer line. Such setups can contribute to sewer overflows during heavy rain.
But residents should expect to pay a good deal more for broken pipes. Walter Baker of Roto-Rooter Plumbing Service said lateral pipe replacement can cost between $3,500 and $12,000 depending on length, depth and soil conditions.
Sewer care
