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Public works shares smoke-testing inflow/infiltration plan and private-lateral outreach
Summary
Staff handed out smoke-testing findings and an inflow/infiltration improvement plan to be submitted to DEQ in January; the report lists basin-level fixes, photos and estimated multi-year spend, and staff said they will send letters to private property owners with defective laterals recommending repairs.
Public works staff presented the results of recent smoke testing and distributed an influent and inflow improvement plan that must be submitted to the Department of Environmental Quality by January. The document, staff said, includes photographs, basin-by-basin findings and a recommended multi-year spending plan intended to address the most urgent defects.
Staff warned that CCTV inspections will likely reveal additional problems beyond those found by smoke testing. They described a mix of less-expensive fixes (gripper plugs, spot repairs) and costlier items such as epoxy lining and manhole repairs. Some laterals are privately owned and staff said the city will send informational letters recommending repairs but cannot compel action on private property; staff acknowledged some property owners may not comply.
Staff also noted near-term construction priorities — a waterline project and coordination with upcoming asphalt-plant shutdowns — and suggested the city consider adding an emergency intertie with EWeb while trenches are open, to preserve a lower-cost future option for emergency water supply.
The council took no formal action; staff will include the smoke-testing findings in the March DEQ report and return with related funding or project requests as needed.
