WARNING - Wastewater spill. Stay out of lake and streams until further notice.

Holmes Run Sanitary Sewer Force Main Lining Project at Sleepy Hollow Road

As part of the final steps in the ongoing rehabilitation/lining project by our County contractor of the 20-inch sanitary sewer force main pipe leading from the Holmes Run Pumping Station northward up Sleepy Hollow Road, a section of newly installed ductile iron pipe (DIP) outside the pumping station and the newly rehabilitated/lined force main pipe under Sleepy Hollow Road were tested Tuesday.  

Soon after the pumps in the pumping station were turned on Tuesday to move wastewater flow from the wet well in the station to the newly lined force main, wastewater began coming out of the ground directly adjacent to the pumping station from the new ductile iron pipe.

This failure of the newly installed ductile iron pipe hence did not allow us to use the pumps within the pumping station to pump excess flow attributed to the intense rainfall over the last 24 hours.  The large portable pumps and above-ground temporary bypass pipes already on site (and used as part of the lining project for the last several weeks), along with a Wastewater Collection Division tanker truck, ran to keep up with wastewater pumping efforts necessary at the station.  Unfortunately, the portable pumps could not carry enough of the excess flows from the station, and therefore the gravity sanitary sewer system downstream of the pumping station was overwhelmed.  This has resulted in ‘on and off’ SSOs (sanitary sewer overflows) at three manholes along the sanitary sewer system downstream of the pumping station during the day Wednesday.

Today, May 2, Wastewater staff is on site to sample and test the water in the stream leading into Lake Barcroft.  Until testing is complete, residents should stay away from the stream and the lake in the area of the overflow.  Signs have been posted warning residents to avoid contact with the water in that area until further notice.

Beginning on Monday, May 5, the pipe contractor will dig and repair/replace the failed pipe adjacent to the pumping station.  Additional stream and lake testing will also continue next week.