Trophy Club, TX (July 12, 2021) –The Trophy Club Municipal Utility District No. 1 is performing a smoke testing survey of the wastewater collection system Monday, July 12 - approximately July 19, 2021. The purpose of this testing is to locate any possible deficiencies in the wastewater collection system which may allow rain water to enter the system. It will require access to manholes which may be located in streets, front yards, back yards and public easements. This process involves filling sewer lines with a harmless, odorless smoke that creates no fire hazard.
Some residents may notice smoke emanating from roof vent stacks on houses or the ground. However, the smoke should not enter your home unless you have defective plumbing or dried up drain traps. If this occurs, you should contact TCMUD No. 1 at 682.831.4600.
However, if this does occur, residents should consult a licensed plumber for repairs. If the harmless smoke can enter through faulty plumbing, the potential exists for sewer gases to enter your home or business. It’s also a good idea to pour water into drains which are seldom used and this will also prevent smoke from entering into the interior of the home or place of business.
It’s important to remember that field personnel are uniformed and carry identification badges. Homeowners do not need to be home during this project and at no time will field crews have to enter your home.
Again, if you see smoke coming from vent stacks or holes in the ground, there is NO REASON TO BE ALARMED, as this is a normal part of this important part of maintaining our water/wastewater system.
PLANNED TESTING AREAS:
MORE ABOUT SMOKE TESTING:
The TC MUD No. 1 is tracing Inflow and Infiltration utilizing smoke testing methods. What they are looking for is ground water infiltration into the sewer system, as well as direct inflow into the system through broken clean outs (the white pvc or black abs pipe found in most yards used as a method to clean out clogged sewer lines).
When these pipes are found to be broken it allows rainwater to directly flow into the sewer system. Rainwater should flow through the stormwater system (ditches, pipes and culverts which divert water out of neighborhoods and streets). Smoke testing utilizes a gas-powered engine, which is placed on top of an open manhole that is linked to a blower fan.
Next, a non-toxic, non-staining chemical is added to the exhaust of the motor, which is converted into smoke filling the void in the piping buried underground. If broken pipes are located the smoke will come out of the ground alerting to areas that need repaired.
This type of testing has led to calls to 9-1-1, being that in some situations there may be a bad wax ring seal under a toilet or a bad plumbing joint in a crawl space, or a dried-out p-trap on a plumbing fixture inside a home.
Please follow proper procedures when calling 9-1-1but do understand this smoke has no odor, is light gray, and will not act like smoke from a fire. As long as vent stacks are not clogged the smoke will pass straight through the plumbing and out the vent stacks of the home.
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