(CanStockPhoto.com photo)(CanStockPhoto.com photo)
Midwestern

Sanitary System Smoke Testing Starts in Mount Forest

A harmless coloured vapour is floating around certain areas of Mount Forest.

Wellington North is working with Cole Engineering Group Ltd. on an Inflow and Infiltration reduction study. It's designed to identify sources of rain water entering the sanitary sewers and to develop a plan to reduce these flows.

A coloured vapour is blown into manholes and pipes.  The smoke is expected to drift out of the manholes and the plumbing stack at the top of houses.  It's also possible for smoke to exit stormwater catch basins and downspouts on houses and buildings.

The smoke has no odour, is not harmful to your health, and disappears in a few minutes.

The sanitary sewer system collects wastewater produced by houses, businesses, and industries and directs it to the treatment plant where the water is treated before being discharged into the river.

Inflow and infiltration occurs when rain and ground water enters the sanitary sewers through cracks or holes in the pipe network or other connections such as catch basins or roof downspouts.

This increased volume reduces the capacity of the sanitary sewer pipe network and the treatment plant. This also increases the risk of overloading the pipe network and potential basement flooding.

Residents in the smoke testing areas received a fact sheet before the testing started.   The process should be finished by next Friday.

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