ESU describes ongoing Manteno force-main grease problems; staff to add cleanouts, equipment and industry pretreatment

Kankakee City Environmental Services Utility staff told the ESU board on Oct. 20 that repeated accumulations of fats, oils and grease (FOG) in a force main serving the Manteno industrial area have caused multiple multi-day slowdowns and required emergency work.

Operations staff said the most recent response required replacement of air-release valves that had been fully plugged with grease and a targeted jetting effort to clear an under-creek section. Staff ordered a chopper pump and a Wet-Well Wizard to improve wet-well agitation and grease breakdown and said they will raise chemical dosing at the wet well as an interim measure.

Why it matters: The Manteno line serves a major industrial area. Continued blockages not only force repeated emergency work but also raise costs and operational risk for the wastewater system. Staff told the board two industrial dischargers — which staff identified as making up the bulk of the load on that…