infonews.co.nz
INDEX
WASTE

Edgecumbe sewerage works

Monday 23 June 2008, 3:59PM

By Whakatane District Council

769 views

WHAKATANE

Whakatane District Council is starting a three week smoke test exercise of the Edgecumbe sewerage system to locate breaks and defects. The test is part of preliminary investigations into the sewerage system that has had ongoing overflow problems after heavy rains or storms for some time. 


The Council’s Director of Works and Services Haydn Read says the smoke test will pinpoint places where there are defects and breaks in the buried pipes or connections to the sewer system.


The smoke test involves injecting dense smoke in to the sewer system to assists in locating breaks and defects along the street and on private properties. The smoke used in the test is non-toxic, harmless, has no odour and creates no fire-hazard.


Mr. Read says the Council has contracted Aqua Lance Consultancy Service, to carryout the smoke test and inspectors from the Company will be visiting over 700 private properties in Edgecumbe starting on Tuesday 24 June 2008. The exercise is expected to be completed in three weeks.


Mr Read said the inspectors will not need to enter any buildings, but will need access to private properties to inspect around buildings for any possible defects.

“Each inspector will have an official identify card with a personalised photograph that will be displayed at all times. The Council is appealing to Edgecumbe residents to assist the inspector to quickly complete their tasks”.


The results of these investigations will provide supporting information to find appropriate solutions to rectify the situation.


In April and May this year, the Council attended to a number of sewerage overflow faults in Edgecumbe area following heavy rains. The Council issued a statement following some critical media reports, noting that it would be investigating options for the Edgecumbe sewerage system to address them.


The Council also observed that the Edgecumbe sewerage system has significant legacy issued associated with the 1987 earthquake- some which had been made worse by the continued subsidence of the lands in the area.