During his 30-plus years with the Hannibal Board of Public Works, Gene Majors has seen an assortment of things come out of the city’s sewer system.
“It’s some interesting stuff,” he said. “Naturally there’s your waste, but there have been toys ... about anything a child can throw in a stool. There’s also been rags, roots and grease.”
And of course, some inhabitants of the city’s sewer system have also been encountered.
“We have chased a few (rats), yes. We have caught a few on camera,” said Majors.
In recent months the list of items found in the city’s sewer system has grown since the BPW set out to clean at least 20 percent of Hannibal’s 142-mile sewer system.
“They go from manhole to manhole. They drop about a 2-inch hose in there and they high pressure wash it,” said Heath Hall, director of operations for the BPW.
The process of cleaning out a sewer line is far more efficient and safer than when Majors joined the BPW.
“You can jet through the lines a lot faster, clean them out and vacuum the debris from manholes. It’s more safe. You don’t have to have your employees go to the bottom of the manholes where there might be gases,” he said. “We can clean several thousand feet a day.”
Thus far in 2009, BPW workers have cleaned 31 miles of the city’s sewer system. Most of the scouring has occurred in September (10.7 miles) and October (7.3 miles).
The year began with a goal of cleaning 20 percent of the city’s sewer system. As of mid-November, the goal had already been exceeded. Majors is not surprised the objective has already been exceeded.
“I thought it was very realistic, especially with us having two (jet vac) trucks,” he said. “The only thing that bothers us is the weather.”
According to Hall, once the temperature dips below 20 degrees the vac trucks are typically only dispatched to deal with sewer stop-ups.
The BPW embarked on its sewer cleaning program at the urging of the Missouri Intergovermental Risk Management Association, the city’s insurance carrier. Clean city sewer lines will mean fewer backups into residences, and thus fewer insurance claims.
“It should save us money on insurance claims,” said Hall.
The cleaning program is also allowing the BPW to head off other potential problems.
“We’re cleaning the different sections, going to the main trunk lines. Then we’re cleaning the trunk lines as we approach the (wastewater treatment) plant. We’re cleaning out all the debris as we go along,” said Majors. “If we run into areas where we have muddy water or a lot of roots, then we’ll go back with another truck and root cut them out, or follow up with a TV inspection to see if there’s any breakage in the lines or if any repairs are needed that require being excavated.”
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During his 30-plus years with the Hannibal Board of Public Works, Gene Majors has seen an assortment of things come out of the city’s sewer system.
“It’s some interesting stuff,” he said. “Naturally there’s your waste, but there have been toys ... about anything a child can throw in a stool. There’s also been rags, roots and grease.”
And of course, some inhabitants of the city’s sewer system have also been encountered.
“We have chased a few (rats), yes. We have caught a few on camera,” said Majors.
In recent months the list of items found in the city’s sewer system has grown since the BPW set out to clean at least 20 percent of Hannibal’s 142-mile sewer system.
“They go from manhole to manhole. They drop about a 2-inch hose in there and they high pressure wash it,” said Heath Hall, director of operations for the BPW.
The process of cleaning out a sewer line is far more efficient and safer than when Majors joined the BPW.
“You can jet through the lines a lot faster, clean them out and vacuum the debris from manholes. It’s more safe. You don’t have to have your employees go to the bottom of the manholes where there might be gases,” he said. “We can clean several thousand feet a day.”
Thus far in 2009, BPW workers have cleaned 31 miles of the city’s sewer system. Most of the scouring has occurred in September (10.7 miles) and October (7.3 miles).
The year began with a goal of cleaning 20 percent of the city’s sewer system. As of mid-November, the goal had already been exceeded. Majors is not surprised the objective has already been exceeded.
“I thought it was very realistic, especially with us having two (jet vac) trucks,” he said. “The only thing that bothers us is the weather.”
According to Hall, once the temperature dips below 20 degrees the vac trucks are typically only dispatched to deal with sewer stop-ups.
The BPW embarked on its sewer cleaning program at the urging of the Missouri Intergovermental Risk Management Association, the city’s insurance carrier. Clean city sewer lines will mean fewer backups into residences, and thus fewer insurance claims.
“It should save us money on insurance claims,” said Hall.
The cleaning program is also allowing the BPW to head off other potential problems.
“We’re cleaning the different sections, going to the main trunk lines. Then we’re cleaning the trunk lines as we approach the (wastewater treatment) plant. We’re cleaning out all the debris as we go along,” said Majors. “If we run into areas where we have muddy water or a lot of roots, then we’ll go back with another truck and root cut them out, or follow up with a TV inspection to see if there’s any breakage in the lines or if any repairs are needed that require being excavated.”
