On July 10, 2014, the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District (MWRD) adopted Article 8 of the Watershed Management Ordinance (WMO). Article 8 outlines the requirements of the new Infiltration and Inflow (I/I) Control Program that applies to all separate sanitary sewer systems tributary to the MWRD system. I/I is the introduction of storm water into separate sewers. A large portion of the required work is the sewer system condition assessment.

A sewer system condition assessment includes smoke testing, dye testing, and televising where smoke escapes through cracks in the ground (indicating a line breach or improperly connected drains). These “smoke” tests are used to identify places in our sanitary sewer system which are not water tight. If not water tight, rain water can enter the system, which has to be treated like regular sanitary discharges.  The purpose of the program is to minimize these clear water flows to treatment plants, as clean water does not have to be treated and treatment costs are substantial. 

Smoke testing entails the introduction of non-toxic smoke into the sanitary system. This smoke fills the mains and private services and emanates from the sewer pipes through the soil where there is some type of opening making the pipes not water tight. In a properly functioning system, smoke will only leave the sewer laterally through the vent pipes in homes. Smoke can also enter homes through improper connections to the sanitary system. These “cross connections” cause issues in areas prone to flooding and should be removed or re-routed.

Proposals from qualified firms were solicited and four firms responded. The proposals were opened on the 23rd of June and the tabulations are as follows:

Vendor                         Smoke Testing/linear foot     Manhole Inspection/each

Burns & McDonald            $0.69/foot                           $110.00/each

RJN                                 $0.75/foot                           $83.00/each

Urban GIS                       $1.00/foot                           $100.00/each

Strand&Associates            $1.69/foot                           $72.00/each

The Village needs to test approximately 80,000 feet of separate sewer lines within the next two years. The manhole inspections are a small portion of the condition assessment and will be performed only on an “as-needed” basis.

Funds have been budgeted for this work.

RECOMMENDATION

It is recommended that the Village Board award the smoke testing and manhole inspection based upon the submitted unit prices and approve execution of a contract with Burns & McDonald for $50,000 a year for two years.