City crews to seek sewer leaks
By James Gonser
Advertiser Urban Honolulu Writer
The city will begin smoke-testing sewer lines next week in residential areas that flooded during the heavy rains in December and January looking for leaks that caused the system to back up onto streets and homes.
The city's sewage and water runoff systems are separate, but sewage flooded in Foster Village, Kailua and Waimalu during the heavy winter rains either because pipes are cracked or runoff water got into the sewer and overtaxed the system, according to the city.
The smoke test will show where any sewer pipes are leaking and whether rain gutters are illegally connected to the system, said Florendo Juan with the city Department of Environmental Services.
"It's a drainage problem, and the sewer system is not made to handle the rainwater," Juan said. "The sooner we can eliminate these waters entering our system the sooner we can take care of this."
On Dec. 7, storms dumped as much as 11 inches of rain on parts of O'ahu during a 24-hour period. Moanalua Stream overflowed its banks and flooded businesses.
On Jan. 2, heavy rain flooded homes and triggered landslides. The overload of water caused raw sewage to leak in locations across O'ahu, prompting state officials to close beaches and waterways across the island for several days.
In Foster Village pipes connecting about 105 homes are being tested. Work will be done for about 30 homes along Pi'ikea and Palahinu places and Punihi and Halupa streets starting Monday and take about five days. Other streets will follow.
Juan said the smoke is nontoxic, has no odor, is not a fire hazard and poses no health hazard to humans or pets.
City crews will blow smoke into the sewer line from one manhole to another about 75 to 100 feet away. Any visible smoke coming up through cracks, driveways or rain gutters will identify where problems exist, Juan said.
"When we come across homes with problems we have to identify them, take pictures and document what we see," Juan said. "If we blow the smoke in the sewer system and the smoke comes out in the rain vents, that is already a violation. They are going to have to make adjustments. In their driveways there may be cracks and water may be seeping in by way of the cracks and that enters our system."
Police and the fire department have been notified of the work and no roads will be closed for the project, which will start about about 9:30 a.m. each day.
The entire project will take about three months. The city will notify residents in other areas before work begins.
For more information, call 523-4423.
Reach James Gonser at jgonser@honoluluadvertiser.com or 535-2431.
