(KNSI) – The St. Cloud Public Utilities Department is busy with maintenance on the wastewater collection system.
Crews will be closely inspecting the hundreds of miles of sewer mains and 34 sanitary wastewater lift stations within the city from now until October. They typically get through about a fifth of the pipes each year. The work helps to keep backups and blockages at a minimum.
A cleaning nozzle is propelled through the tubes. When pulled back, it sprays and dislodges debris or rust that has built up using highly pressurized water. The gunk makes its way back to the waiting crews, where they scoop it out. Workers also cut out roots that have begun to invade the pipes.
Sometimes, a vacuum will form within the pipe. It resolves itself with no issue, but vents don’t always work properly. In those cases, homes or apartments along the street may notice water spraying up through the toilet, sink, or shower drain. Strong odors sometimes escape from the sewers, causing a temporarily stinky situation.
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