FTMSA to Begin Testing Customer Connections
DEP Consent Order and Agreement (COA) limited to smoke testing.
MURRYSVILLE – On August 29, 2019, FTMSA, contributing systems, and surrounding municipalities– Borough of Export, Borough of Delmont, Salem Township, Penn Township Sewage Authority, Monroeville Municipal Authority, Municipality of Murrysville, Penn Township, and the Municipality of Monroeville – entered into a Consent Order and Agreement (COA) with the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). The COA is an Order of the DEP requiring corrective actions to be taken to eliminate the hydraulic overload of the FTMSA system. The overload occurs due to Inflow and Infiltration (I&I) in the system caused by deficiencies in the infrastructure or through illegal connections.
The corrective actions of the COA will be completed over the next few years and will include flow monitoring, visual inspections, televised main line inspections and inspections of privately owned facilities. This data will be used to build a map of the system and determine the magnitude of repairs needed to eliminate the hydraulic overload. Since 2019 the FTMSA has televised over 800,000 feet of FTMSA owned main lines. Now the focus shifts to inspection of the customer owned facilities.
Under the COA, customer owned sewer connections will be inspected by smoke testing to identify any possible illegal connections. This involves dispersing a non-toxic, non-hazardous smoke into the mainlines and visual inspection of the locations where smoke exits the system. Smoke observed exiting residential gutters and downspouts would signal an illegal connection, while smoke observed exiting the ground would indicate a broken or defective private sewer lateral. Tests will be performed by FTMSA personnel observing approved CDC COVID-19 safety protocols and wearing appropriate ID and credentials.
Any illegal connections discovered during smoke testing will require repair or removal at the cost of the property owner within a reasonable time period specified by the FTMSA. Upon such repair or removal, that property owner’s facilities will be inspected by a contractor of the customer’s choosing to ensure all sewer connections are proper and in compliance.
The COA is complicated and extensive and for the community to achieve success and avoid penalties, the FTMSA as well as the public at large must work together to ensure compliance. We understand the inconvenience you will face. We thank you in advance for your cooperation as we work to meet the requirements of the COA.
Please allow this to serve as notice that we, (FTMSA), endeavors to notify you in advance of when we will be performing the above-mentioned smoke test inspection on your property. At a minimum, a 48 hour hang tag notice will be posted on your property to notify you of the test.
FTMSA will be starting the CO&A smoke testing in Murrysville on May 18th 2021.
Phase 1 targeted streets include:
- Margaretta Drive
- Calla Drive
- Lott Drive
- Old Logan Ferry
- Hemlock Lane
- Harvest Drive
- Whispering Pines
- Cedar Lane
- Cypress Drive
- Sunflower Court
- Iris Court
- Cooper Lane
- Barberry Court
- Juniper Court
- Logan Ferry Road
- Remaley Road
- Mayflower Court
- Oak Ridge Lane
- Laurel Oak Circle
- Pin Oak
- Gun Club Road
- Windsor Court
- Royal Court
- Duchess Court
- Buckingham Court
- Princess Court
- Glenshire Court
- Edinburg Drive
- Trouthaven Drive
- Lochner Court
- Tartan Court
- Dublane Court
- Devonwood Court
- Forbes Trail
- Burwick Court
- Calton Drive
- Ridgemont Court
- Turnberry Court
- Himalya Court
- Shangri- La
- Moonlight Court
- Overlook Court
- Hidden Valley Road
- Rainprint Lane
- Crosswinds Lane
- Edgetree Lane
- Nature Trail Lane
- Franklin Towne Road