The City of Phillipsburg has been working on scheduled maintenance to the City’s wastewater system. Public Works employees have been raising the wastewater manholes. By raising the manholes, employees can quickly respond to calls concerning wastewater backups and spend additional time cleaning the wastewater lines. The City has a Vac-Con truck that allows wastewater lines to be hydro-flushed and then vacuum material found in the lines from the manholes. This process is a valuable tool which reduces the tree roots and build up that can be found in the wastewater system. The hydro-flushing program has reduced the number of wastewater backups and allowed the system to operate more efficiently.
What do city employees find in the wastewater system? During recent inspection of one manhole we found some unusual items in systems. The first picture is what we saw when the manhole was opened.
Here is a look at what the items were once they were removed from the manhole. Wood, metal, a shovel, and even a clothes iron were in that manhole. Wouldn’t we all like to know how this gets in the wastewater system?
The City of Phillipsburg has also been having difficulty with lift station motors and pumps which are in the east part of the city. This main lift station pumps a large amount of waste and is a critical piece of the City’s wastewater system. The pictures below show this lift station pump when it was pulled out of service. It was plugged with things that look like diapers, sheets, towels, uniforms, mops, and other items. The pump was cleaned and within 24 hours it was plugged again. The plugged pump can often burn out a motor which is very expensive to repair or replace.
Please help us avoid these problems and wastewater backups in your homes and businesses by being aware of what is being placed in the wastewater lines. Do not put items that belong in the trash in the wastewater system. Do not put any kind of grease, oil, or other chemicals in the wastewater system. Let’s all work together to keep the city infrastructure operating and in good repair.