Description :  

Service laterals are the pipes that connect houses or commercial buildings with sewer mains. Today there are millions of laterals in the USA.  Laterals are, unfortunately, responsible for a significant amount of infiltration/inflow (I/I) into the sewer collection systems.

I/I represents water other than wastewater—groundwater and predominantly storm water—that enters the sanitary sewer collection system through system defects and illegal connections.  I.I into the laterals is often responsible for sanitary sewer overflows (SSOs), environmental problems, and private property damages. Although awareness of service lateral problems is generally improving, the maintenance, inspection, and rehabilitation of laterals are usually neglected.  The main reasons for this neglect are the large number of laterals and associated costs with identifying and repairing defective laterals.  In addition, there are significant legal issues associated with entering private properties and/or spending public funds on maintenance or rehabilitation of private property. This project addresses the following areas of interest and concern in connection with private lateral sewers:

1. Identification of I/I sources and quantification of I/I by source.

2. Use of available and emerging technologies to locate laterals and evaluate their condition.

3. Use of available and emerging rehabilitation and placement options.

4. Potential liability and access/ownership issues.

5. Financing issues and equitable assignment of costs for the program.

---

Principal Investigator:  Sterling, Ray  --  Civil Engineering

---

Collaborators:  

---

Funding Agencies:  Water Environment Research Foundation

---

Amount Awarded:  $249,782

---

Start Period:  03/24/2003

End Period:  08/01/2005