Major Sewer Lines to be Cleared, Cleaned

Over the next few months, you may spot equipment like this cleaning out major sewer lines in and around Harrisburg.

Capital Region Water has begun cleaning out major sewer lines in its service area, work that will continue through November.

Crews from CRW, Terra Contracting and CDM Smith will be accessing manholes along the lines, called interceptors, to perform the pipe-cleaning work, said Andrew Bliss, CRW’s community outreach manager. The project includes the Paxton Creek, Paxton Creek Relief, Hemlock Street, Spring Creek and Front Street interceptors.

Bliss said that disruptions to traffic flow are not expected, but that CRW would provide notification through social media if they do occur.

Cleaning may be performed during normal business hours, weekends and overnight depending on when sewer system conditions are best, he said. Project crews will provide identification upon request.

“Interceptors are the main arteries of our sewer system that serves over 100,000 customers and the state Capitol,” said CRW CEO Shannon Williams. “It may not be an exciting project to some, but properly maintaining our interceptors is critical to providing reliable service and protecting public health and the environment.”

CRW interceptors are up to 60 inches in diameter and convey about 20 million gallons of sewage every day. Bliss said that initial analysis determined that some sections of the interceptors are 50-percent clogged by sediment, adding that the cleaning will remove about 2,300 tons of sediment.

According to CRW, there is no record of when the interceptors were last cleaned.

Bliss said that the $1.4 million project will allow for more storage in the interceptors, which will help reduce combined sewer overflows as part of CRW’s City Beautiful H2O program. Cleaning also will allow for a more detailed condition assessment of the interceptors, which will identify necessary repairs, he said.

CRW’s interceptor-cleaning schedule is as follows: