Smoke Testing This Week!

Alert! Smoke testing of the sewer system will begin on Monday, August 31st, 2020 and is expected to occur for several days next week in various parts of the village. We are doing this testing as an effort to reduce clearwater entry into the sanitary sewer system. Each section of the sanitary sewer will be examined and a dense greyish/white smoke will be blown through the sanitary sewers from a manhole. Smoke will then appear from any roof drains, catch basins, or house vent stacks connected to the system. In addition, the smoke may appear from cracks in the pavement above the sewer, from lawns, or around homes which have foundation drains connected to the sewer. The appearance of smoke from house vent stacks is normal and does not indicate a defect in the plumbing.

Smoke may also appear in basements by means of unused floor drains, disconnected or faulty plumbing fixtures, or any direct opening to the house lateral. To reduce this possibility, pour a small bucket of water down all floor drains, sinks, or other rarely used plumbing fixtures. This water will fill the plumbing trap and prevent the entry of smoke.

The smoke used for the tests is non-staining and will disappear rapidly without leaving a residual odor. If smoke should appear in your building during the test, leave the building and contact a member of the survey tem working in your street. The smoke will dissipate quickly if a window or door is opened.

It takes only a few minutes to test an average block and it is not necessary for you to be home during the testing period.

The smoke used in this program has been analyzed by a team of experts in the field of industrial hygiene, toxicology, and medicine and has been proven harmless. Although harmless, the smoke may irritate nasal passages, but irritation should disappear quickly after exposure has ended. Those persons suffering from heart or lung diseases such as emphysema, should attempt to avoid exposure as they would any other potential airborne irritant.

Sewer smoke testing will be done the week of August 31st. Testing will not take place in inclement weather. If you have any questions, please contact Visu-Sewer, Inc at 262-695-2340.