CLEAN WATER ELIMINATION PROGRAM - narrative + attachments
During the calendar year 2011, the Gull Lake Sewer and Water Authority initiated a 3-5 year program to locate, find, mimimize and/or eliminate Clean Water from entering the public sewer system. Unnecessary clean water from ground water or storm water sources has been determined to represent between 5%-10% of the Authority's annual cost of treatment at the City of Kalamazoo's Reclamation Facility. The elimination of clean water – ground water – surface water from entering the public sewer IS a premier issue for the Authority in order to control costs both short-term and long-term
Clean Water enters the sewer system from four areas:
(i) “allowable leakage” of a publicly installed sewer system (no perfect joint system),
(ii) inflow (surface water run-off from streets and yards) or infiltration (water seeping
into the below-ground pipe system), collectively called I/I (inflow + infiltration),
(iii) improper or illegal connection of residential and commercial groundwater sump
pumps connecting to the public sewer,
(iv) incidental roof downspouts, footing drains, driveway storm drains connected to the
public sewer.
For definition, the Authority segregates the areas of Clean Water Elimination as
(a) inflow, (b) infiltration, and (c) illegal; where the first two in the above paragraph
above are “system” problems, the third and fourth are illegal / improper
connections and discharges from residential and commercial premises.
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Overview -- 2008 to present: In fall of 2008, the area experienced 11 inches of rain that
caused major flooding and has resulted in ground water elevations reaching record
levels, causing many homes and businesses that have never had groundwater problems
to experience wet-basement problems. The high groundwater problems continue to be
a problem for many homeowners. The Authority's cost for treatment for water
(wastewater) pumped to the Kalamazoo area treatment facility has increased over
25% due primarily to excessive "clean water" entering the system.
We have discovered that basement waterproofing companies, builders and plumbers
have been inappropriately connecting basement and crawl space underdrain systems to
the public sewer.
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Our initial analysis indicates that we have 100-200 manholes that take in water run-off
(inflow) that need to be sealed, 100-200 minor leaks within the collection piping
system (infiltration) that are to be repaired, and 100-300 homes and/or
businesses with groundwater systems/sump pumps connected to the public sewer,
equating to approximately 10% of our customers. This latter number is an estimated
number, and it has been determined that the only way to accurately assess and
document the elimination of clean water discharges from customer's premises (homes +
businesses) is to require physical in-home inspection (See Residential / Commercial
Inspection Program below:).
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The elimination of clean water – ground water – surface water from entering the public sewer IS a premier issue for the Authority in order to control costs both short-term and long-term.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
For a great website on inflow and infiltration, visit:
http://www.goldenvalleymn.gov/homeyard/utilities/inflow-infiltration.php
Residential Flyer regarding improper connections to public sewer:
Clean Water Elimination flyer
Sketch from Golden Valley, MN of i/i sources "culprits":
Golden Valley, MN sketch - Inflow + Infiltration culprits
CLEAN WATER ELIMINATION PROGRAM - narrative + attachments
During the calendar year 2011, the Gull Lake Sewer and Water Authority initiated a 3-5 year program to locate, find, mimimize and/or eliminate Clean Water from entering the public sewer system. Unnecessary clean water from ground water or storm water sources has been determined to represent between 5%-10% of the Authority's annual cost of treatment at the City of Kalamazoo's Reclamation Facility. The elimination of clean water – ground water – surface water from entering the public sewer IS a premier issue for the Authority in order to control costs both short-term and long-term
Clean Water enters the sewer system from four areas:
(i) “allowable leakage” of a publicly installed sewer system (no perfect joint system),
(ii) inflow (surface water run-off from streets and yards) or infiltration (water seeping
into the below-ground pipe system), collectively called I/I (inflow + infiltration),
(iii) improper or illegal connection of residential and commercial groundwater sump
pumps connecting to the public sewer,
(iv) incidental roof downspouts, footing drains, driveway storm drains connected to the
public sewer.
For definition, the Authority segregates the areas of Clean Water Elimination as
(a) inflow, (b) infiltration, and (c) illegal; where the first two in the above paragraph
above are “system” problems, the third and fourth are illegal / improper
connections and discharges from residential and commercial premises.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Overview -- 2008 to present: In fall of 2008, the area experienced 11 inches of rain that
caused major flooding and has resulted in ground water elevations reaching record
levels, causing many homes and businesses that have never had groundwater problems
to experience wet-basement problems. The high groundwater problems continue to be
a problem for many homeowners. The Authority's cost for treatment for water
(wastewater) pumped to the Kalamazoo area treatment facility has increased over
25% due primarily to excessive "clean water" entering the system.
We have discovered that basement waterproofing companies, builders and plumbers
have been inappropriately connecting basement and crawl space underdrain systems to
the public sewer.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Our initial analysis indicates that we have 100-200 manholes that take in water run-off
(inflow) that need to be sealed, 100-200 minor leaks within the collection piping
system (infiltration) that are to be repaired, and 100-300 homes and/or
businesses with groundwater systems/sump pumps connected to the public sewer,
equating to approximately 10% of our customers. This latter number is an estimated
number, and it has been determined that the only way to accurately assess and
document the elimination of clean water discharges from customer's premises (homes +
businesses) is to require physical in-home inspection (See Residential / Commercial
Inspection Program below:).
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The elimination of clean water – ground water – surface water from entering the public sewer IS a premier issue for the Authority in order to control costs both short-term and long-term.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
For a great website on inflow and infiltration, visit:
http://www.goldenvalleymn.gov/homeyard/utilities/inflow-infiltration.php
Residential Flyer regarding improper connections to public sewer:
Clean Water Elimination flyer
Sketch from Golden Valley, MN of i/i sources "culprits":
Golden Valley, MN sketch - Inflow + Infiltration culprits