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Process extends life of sewer mains

Photo

Photo by Dan Lassiter

Steam rises as Visu-Sewer works on a sewer line on Highway 51 just north of the County F bridge in Janesville recently. The contractor is cleaning and installing a specialized cured-in-place lining material that adheres to the interior of existing sewer mains, extending their lives.

JANESVILLE — What it is: A city-hired contractor is cleaning and installing a specialized cured-in-place lining material that adheres to the interior of existing sewer mains, which extends the life of the lines.

The contractor, Visu-Sewer, uses trenchless technology that is less disruptive than traditional excavation methods.

Mike Payne, Janesville's engineering manager, said crews insert a soft pipe inside the existing sewer line, which is typically made of clay tile. The soft pipe is then inflated and cured with boiling water to adhere to the existing pipe

"It adds a lot of structural integrity and cleans up a lot of root problems," Payne said. "Clay tiles typically have joints every four to six feet, and this process provides a continuous shot from manhole to manhole."

Payne said the city contracts the work each year as part of its part of an annual utility maintenance program. This year's work started the first week of January and will run into April.

The cost: This year's contract is for $870,000 and will cover 28,000 linear feet of sewer mains, about five miles, Payne said.

Proceed with caution: Those traveling near the project locations should be aware that the process often generates a large amount of steam that rapidly dissipates as the material cools.

Through traffic will be maintained during the installation process, although it might be restricted to a single lane in each direction.

For more information: Call the city engineering division at 608-755-3160.