The City of Hays Utilities Department has contracted Mayer Specialty Services to conduct sewer line cleaning and inspections at the locations described below and shown on the attached map.
The approximate date is Aug. 24 through Oct. 24. The date may change due to breakdowns, weather, or other problems.
Door hanger notices will be placed on homes affected the day before the cleaning.
During this process, residents may experience a rumbling sound, in addition to the possibility of water entering your sink, bathtub and/or toilet. Sewer lines can develop air pressure or a partial vacuum from the cleaning process. Usually any excess air pressure or vacuum will dissipate through the plumbing vents, but occasionally there are facilities with inadequate plumbing vents (i.e.: no vents, undersized vents or obstructed vents). In the case of inadequate venting, air pressure could escape through the toilet, floor, sink, tub or shower drains, causing water to splash out or, a vacuum could draw the water out of the fixture traps allowing unpleasant odors.
If you will not be home or on vacation during the time of the sewer line cleaning which starts Aug. 24, please protect your home by keeping your toilet lids down. Other ideas on how to protect your home while away are as follows.
Do I need to do anything before you clean/inspect the sewers on my street?
Yes. Occasionally during cleaning and inspection, air pressure in the sewer can cause water to splash out through toilets, sinks and drains. Take the following precautions to prevent water damage in your home:
• Close the lids on all toilet bowls when not in use.
• Insert drain plugs in all sinks and bathtubs when not in use.
• Remove all floor mats in bathrooms.
• Place an old towel around the base of toilets, or cover all toilets with plastic or old towel and close the lid on the plastic or towel.
• If you have a float plug in your floor drain or a backwater valve installed in your house, ensure that it is free of debris and operating properly.
• Wrap the cover of your basement and other floor drains with thick plastic (i.e., a freezer bag or a car floor mat). Place something heavy over the floor drains to keep the plastic-covered floor drain covers in place.
The precautions are recommended only during our working times as provided.
You may put things back as they were when the equipment has moved off your block.
See map above for detailed locations. On the map, the red lines indicating 2015 project – 18 miles, is the area that will be cleaned.
The area between 27th Street and Ash Street and 27th Street and Vine to 11th Street.
Crews will continue south from this area to the south end of town by Third and Fort.
Why are you cleaning and inspecting the sewers?
The cleaning and inspection program keeps the sewer system operating efficiently by:
• Preventative maintenance significantly reduce the chance for damaging sewer blockages and backups
• removing built-up debris, such as tree roots, grease, grit and sand
• determining the condition of the sewer for repairs or replacement of sewers as necessary
How do you clean the sewers?
The sewers are cleaned using a high-pressure nozzle to flush water down the sewer. The dirt and debris are sucked up through a manhole by a large vacuum truck and taken to the landfill.
How do you inspect the sewers?
They are inspected by inserting a remotely operated video camera into the sewer to record its condition. The video shows us if repairs or replacement of the sanitary sewer is needed.
Will I notice anything after you have cleaned/inspected the sewers on my street?
Sometimes the sewer cleaning and inspection leaves an odor in the home. If so, run some water down the sink and bathtub drains, flush the toilets, pour a pail of water into each basement floor drain, and open the windows. After a short time, the odor should disappear.
Can I use the toilets and my water while you are cleaning and inspecting the sewer on my block?
Yes. However, be careful as air pressure in the sewer during the cleaning and inspection can sometimes cause water to splash out through toilets, sinks and drains. Remember to close the lids on all toilet bowls when not in use, and insert drain plugs in all sinks and bathtubs when not in use.
The City of Hays apologizes for any inconvenience this may impose. Performing this preventative maintenance by cleaning the sanitary sewer will improve the sewer’s performance and significantly reduce the chance for future sewer backups and related problems.
Should you have any questions or concerns, call the Utilities Office at (785) 628-7380, or via email [email protected].
Large portions of Hays were without power for approximately two hours overnight in an outage lasting from about 2 to 4 a.m.
“We have switched over to an awesome new program this year, so everything can be done online,” Haney said.
