From March 3 through 7, inspection crews from the City of Sanibel Public Works Utility Division and a city contractor will be conducting a smoke test of sewer lines in neighborhoods throughout the island.
This will include a physical survey of the City of Sanibel wastewater collection system, which will involve the opening of manholes in the streets and easements.
An important task of the survey will be the "smoke testing" of sewer lines to locate breaks and defects in the sewer system. During the test, you may see smoke coming from vent stacks on buildings or from holes in the ground.
Don’t be alarmed. The smoke that you may see coming from the vent stacks on buildings or the ground is non-toxic, harmless, has no odor, and creates no fire hazard, and will dissipate in a few minutes.
The smoke should not enter your building unless the plumbing is defective or the drain traps are dried out. It is recommended that you pour water into seldom used sinks and floor drains any time before the smoke testing begins.
Some sewer lines and manholes are located on private property. If these lines require investigation, members of the inspection crews will need access to the facilities. The workmen do not need to enter your building.
Potable (drinking) water services or sanitary sewer services will not be interrupted due to this testing.
This routine preventative maintenance test is designed to identify sources of inflow and infiltration (I&I) within the sanitary sewer system. Both inflow and infiltration contribute to excess water in the system, which can lead to sewer backups, overflows, and increased operational costs.
If you have any questions please contact the Public Works, Utilities Division at (239) 472-6397.
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