Manhole inspections and manhole rehabilitation

• Manhole Inspections

There are over 70,000 manholes in DeKalb County. To determine the condition of the manholes and sewer lines, in-depth inspections are completed. A set of criteria is used to inspect each manhole. To document an inspection, a form is filled-out by an inspector; the form includes information such as location, surface type, manhole depth, condition of walls, etc. Along with the inspection form, the use of a Pipe Cam Viewing and/or taping is used to determine the condition of the sewer lines within that manhole.

 

• Manhole Rehabilitation

 

To preserve and/or improve the condition of the county’s manholes, it is necessary to rehabilitate some of them. The process of rehabilitation includes cleaning the walls of debris, roots, etc., and preparing the inside and outside surface of the manhole for approved coatings, which eliminates inflow and infiltration (I/I) into the manhole.

 

• Creek Crossing

 

After there has been two inches or more of rainfall, it is mandated by the Georgia Environmental Protection Department (EPD) that all exposed sanitary sewer lines at any creek, river, or ditch, etc. are inspected to ensure that the crossings are still intact and is functioning properly.

 

• Walking Outfalls

 

After there has been two inches or more of rainfall, it is mandated by the Georgia Environmental Protection Department (EPD) that all major sanitary sewer lines are inspected for any breaks or washed out areas around sewer lines, if any manhole covers are missing, or if there is a sanitary sewer overflow (SSO). SSOs are raw sewage that can be flowing on the ground, into springs, creeks, lakes, or rivers.

 

• Inspection of Sanitary Sewer Spills

It is required to do an inspection of all reported sanitary sewer spills; regardless of the amount of rainfall or if the spill was caused by clogged pipes. The inspection determines what caused the spill and a recommendation is made to remedy the situation to ensure that a spill will not occur at that particular location again.