Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Sewer Lines Top Be Smoked For Leaks

Gurdon's Water and Sewer Department will soon be blowing smoke.

Well, not in the method most commonly thought of when such a statement is issued, but the department will soon purchase a smoke machine to help find leaks in the city's sewer lines so they can be repaired.

This machine operates with a three or five horsepower engine and forces smoke, from smoke bombs, into sewer lines to show where leaks are.

The Gurdon Water and Sewer Commission, in its regular monthly meeting Monday night, March 15, gave Harold Hurst, department manager, the go-ahead to buy the machine. These pieces of equipment, he said, cost between $1,200 and $1,500 depending on the type purchased.

Hurst informed the panel there are problems in the sewer lines as ground water is getting into them. This, he said, can affect the department's sewer treatment permit, as treatment stations are permitted based on the amount of water going through them.

With rains such as the area received last weekend, he said, there is no way to keep all the water out of the lines.

He said the device forces smoke into lines between manhole covers, or about 300 feet. Where smoke can be seen above ground is where the leaks are. These areas will be marked to be repaired.

However, Hurst pointed out, the smoke machines can only be used in dry weather as the ground must be dry and cracked so the smoke can escape.

The extra water in the system, he said, is causing the pumps to run more than they should, and is also affecting several homes along the line.

Where houses are empty or have been abandoned, he said, if leaks exist the smoke will reveal where the lines themselves are and they can then be capped to prevent water from entering.

This past weekend, he told the commissioners, the water level was so high it came up to the base of the new lift station on Bowen Hill.

With the shifting clay base the city rests on, he continued, the machine will be used regularly as the lines will need to be repaired with the movement of the earth.

In cases where the breaks are on homeowner's property, he suggested, they will be sent letters stating the problem and asking them to correct the situation. The board agreed with this idea.

So, sometime around June, the department will begin blowing smoke.

In other business, the commission was told a new truck is needed for the workers.

The current vehicle is a 1990 model Ford. It was purchased new, but, Hurst said, is worn out and needs to be replaced.

However, he added, the department doesn't have to be in a hurry to get a new truck.

The panel agreed to see what a new three-quarter ton truck with automatic transmission, power steering and power brakes would cost through state purchasing, and will also be taking bids on a similar vehicle.

All agreed to go with the three-quarter ton vehicle as it will hold up better with the gear the department employees have to haul regularly.

No progress has been made on the Greenville Water Project, he told the commissioners.

This is partially because no effort has been made as yet to procure easements from property owners in the area. He said this most likely won't be done until the weather stabilizes and is drier.

But, he said, a permit from Union pacific Railroad has been obtained to drill beneath their tracks in the area. This permit cost $1,500, and another $500 will be required by the contractor for entry fee by the company.

Before the project can begin permits will also have to be obtained from the Midland Railroad Company. These permits, Hurst said, will likely be more expensive than the one from UP.

He said three different bores will be made under tracks owned by Midland.

The fence for the Bowen Hill lift station has been erected. This chain link fence is a 30 by 30 foot fence with a 16-foot gate and is six feet tall.

Repair work has also been completed on the 10th Street water tank, including rewiring the red light atop the tank.

Hurst said there were some items the department had to do as they weren't specified in the contract, though he thought the contractor should have done them. This includes the wiring of the light on the tank and grouting around the legs of the tank as well.