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Expensive problem lurks underneath streets Sewer study could point to needed fixes totaling more than $50 million By Jessica Smith Medford�s public works department is looking for trouble in places most people would rather avoid. And the problems they find are likely to cost millions to fix. To prevent backups and improve efficiency in the sewer collection system, public works has begun a two-year study of 210 miles of city-owned sewer pipes that run beneath the streets. When finished, the current study will be used to develop a master plan for repairing and replacing old and too-small sewer mains. Storm water can add to problem When it rains, it pours down the city�s sewer system. Called "inflow and infiltration," the storm water that finds its way into sewer pipes is a problem that Medford�s public works department would like to eliminate. A study of city-owned sewer pipes is expected to show public works officials where "inflow and infiltration" pose the greatest challenges. According to the public works department, "inflow" happens when storm water enters sewer pipes through cross-connections with drains, catch basins and gutters. Similarly, "infiltration" typically occurs when ground water seeps into sewers. That�s most often a problem for older pipes, made of clay or concrete, that have fallen into disrepair. Such work could cost the city from $50 million to $75 million, according to Larry Beskow, Medford�s utilities engineer. The hunt for money to pay for the repairs will begin after the master plan is complete. Though Medford completed a sewer master plan in 1990, the study addressed only pipes larger than 10 inches in diameter, overlooking about 80 percent of the city�s system. For $300,000 to $500,000, the city will examine the main lines that collect waste from pipes connected to houses, businesses, government offices and schools. City officials are pursuing federal funding for the analysis. Every once in a while, dirty water puddles up in lawns. It gurgles through the tops of manholes. Sometimes, it backs up into basements. In most cases, the untreated sewage is diluted with storm water, Beskow said. "Nonetheless, it�s still carrying all those little nasties you don�t want," he added. Medford�s aging sewer system can be a headache for public works crews and a nightmare for property owners. Older pipes � typically made of clay or concrete � clog, crack and collapse. When storm water finds its way into smaller pipes, the lines can�t handle the extra load. About a dozen times a year, city crews work to fix backups in main collection lines. There�s no telling how many times individual pipes to homes and businesses fail each year, according to public works. In the oldest parts of the city � downtown, most of west and pockets of east Medford � the pipes are nearly 100 years old. Some of the oldest pipes were installed in 1907. "Some of these pipes have never been replaced or repaired," Beskow said. "Older sewers like that allow in a huge amount of inflow and infiltration." Inflow and infiltration come from water that�s not waste � rain and storm runoff � that is washed down or seeps into sewer pipes, Beskow explained. Aside from broken pipes, inflow and infiltration is one of the biggest dilemmas for public works. Extra water in the sewer system means more work for the regional sewage treatment plant. Public works officials estimate that as much as 60 percent of the water treated at the plant during storm events is rain or runoff, not waste. Though most inflow and infiltration comes from lateral lines � the pipes that connect to individual properties � the city isn�t asking landowners to hand over millions of dollars for repairs. "This is not going to be a bunch of regulators coming in and saying you need to fix these," said Cory Crebbin, public works director. "It�s going to be a community discussion about what we can do about these leaking pipes?" Reach reporter Jessica Smith at 776-4481, or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home | Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. | Dow Jones & Co., Inc. | Privacy | Contact Us Copyright � 2001 Mail Tribune, Inc.