Walker County, Ga., workers begin fixing leaking sewer lines

Pipes on top of the ground are seen Wednesday along Wilson Road across the street from the Emma Wheeler Homes in Alton Park. A group of activists expressed concern that water is being pumped from the former Velsicol chemical plant into the sewer system, but Chattanooga Public Works officials say they are temporarily rerouting sewers in the area so the original lines can be dried out and relined.
Pipes on top of the ground are seen Wednesday along Wilson Road across the street from the Emma Wheeler Homes in Alton Park. A group of activists expressed concern that water is being pumped from the former Velsicol chemical plant into the sewer system, but Chattanooga Public Works officials say they are temporarily rerouting sewers in the area so the original lines can be dried out and relined.

Workers began a $297,000 project this week to fix 11,000 feet of cracked and leaking sewer lines in Walker County, Ga.

To block an overflow of storm water slipping into the sewer, which runs to the Moccasin Bend Wastewater Treatment Facility, the Walker County Water & Sewerage Authority has decided to add a new lining to the old pipe. The project will expand the life of the lines for another 50 years, county spokesman Joe Legge said in a news release.

The addition is called a cured-in-place pipe system. Basically, it is a coated tube. Workers will put the tube under ground, inside the pipe. They will then rush freezing water down, and the tube will unfurl through the pipe. Once the tube is spread out, the workers will then rush water and steam into the sewer. This binds the tube to the old pipe, sealing the cracks and leaks.

Right now, workers are cleaning the old sewer. They are also running video cameras through them to see all the problems. Based on what they see, the workers will create a list of priorities, trying to fix the biggest flaws first.

They will evaluate for about the next two weeks, said Brandon Whitley, interim general manager of the authority. They will then try to fix the problems for about two weeks.

The authority is targeting sewer lines in the following areas: Chattanooga Valley Road, Rock Creek Road, Grant Drive, Bluffview Circle, Allgood Road, Eagle Shadow and Japonica Street.

The authority contracted with Insituform for the project.

Upcoming Events