City of Hays
The 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 project, which includes 18 miles of sewer lines, is expected to begin June 30 and run through Aug. 30, pending weather or other unforeseen 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 June 30th, please protect your home by keeping your toilet lids down.
Other ideas on how to protect your home while away are as follows.
• 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 working times. Residents can put things back as they were when the equipment has moved off their block.
See attached map for detailed locations. The area between 27th and Hall and 27th and Plum will be cleaned first, then crews will move to the south end of town by First and Elm. The last phase will be from 41st to 22nd and 22nd to Canterbury.
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.
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.
Lines are inspected by inserting a remotely operated video camera into the sewer to record its condition. The video shows crews if repairs or replacement of the sanitary sewer is needed.
For more information, call (785) 628-7380 or email [email protected].