A well-maintained storm and sewer system is a vital part of every community’s infrastructure. These pipelines are essential for managing public health, protecting the environment, and maintaining a safe and healthy neighborhood. When a community sewer system isn’t properly maintained, serious issues can develop fairly quickly, which can be incredibly expensive to fix, especially in a larger plan or neighborhood.
Proactive maintenance is really the key to preventing expensive problems and extending your system’s lifespan. It’s also necessary for maintaining the health and safety of your community and the infrastructure necessary for future potential growth. This is why a routine community pipeline assessment is highly recommended. However, if you notice one of these three red flags, then you may want to act sooner rather than later.
1. Depressions In Roads, Sidewalks, and Driveways
One of the most common signs of issues with underground pipeline systems is the appearance of depressions in roads, sidewalks, easements, and around manholes. Small depressions aren’t always easy to spot, so be on the lookout for water pooling in areas such as curb inlets. Depressions look like small dips, and while minor depressions can appear harmless, they could also be a warning that water might be leaking from a pipe below the ground.
Depressions form because leaking water washes away soil, which jeopardizes the integrity of the surface and ultimately causes it to sag.
While a minor dip might not seem like a big deal, the problem can quickly turn into something much worse and expensive, like a sinkhole or full structural collapse. The longer the issue is left untreated, the more likely you’ll experience disastrous results. Regular community pipeline assessments can help you discover leaks long before they become a problem.
2. Water Overflow
Blockages in your storm and sewer system can cause flooding on roads and green spaces, so water overflow is another important red flag that something is wrong below the surface. If storm drains are overflowing after a storm or you’re seeing flooding in unexpected places across the community, you might have an issue. Lingering pooling and puddling after a storm is a sign that your system isn’t draining properly. Back-ups inside multiple homes could also be a sign of a major problem.
A community pipeline assessment can help resolve potential back-ups before they make their way to street-level or inside homes.
3. Debris Or Sediment In Your Storm Drains
A quick visual inspection of your storm drains is another way to determine if there is a problem. If you notice a significant amount of debris or sediment in your drains, this could result in a lower flow rate and drainage capacity of your storm pipes. Check your drains and your manholes and take note of the levels of sand, rocks, or debris in the pipeline. Standing water above the flow pipes could also be a sign of an issue.
If your community has its own lift station, then it might be time to schedule a community pipeline assessment to document the run time, especially if you’re noticing a significant increase or decrease in flow or pressure.
A Community Pipeline Assessment From Atlantic Pipe Services Can Prevent Costly Issues
When sewer issues are left unchecked, they can quickly become a massive headache for HOAs, community managers, and contractors. Here are some of the most common issues we see develop from a lack of maintenance:
- Blockages caused by debris
- Aging/corroded pipes
- Tree root intrusion
- Pipes shifting from erosion or soil movement
- Cracks and leaks
- Manhole deterioration
When caught early, the damage is usually fairly minimal. However, issues with underground infrastructure aren’t always visually apparent. A regular assessment can help catch these issues before they cause major damage. Community managers and HOAs should have their pipeline inspected annually, and potentially even more frequently if it’s a large community or an aging system.
Atlantic Pipe Services (APS) offers thorough pipe cleaning and assessments to keep your system performing at its best. We assist private communities across the Southeast by surveying older infrastructure and developing affordable, proactive maintenance plans that will keep your system functioning for years to come. We’ll perform a video inspection to diagnose any potential problems and provide a detailed inspection report that outlines our findings and recommendations. By trusting APS to inspect and maintain your storm and sewer pipelines, it’s one less thing you have to worry about.
