Politics & Government
Emmaus Identifies Possible Cause of Sewage Problem
Video camera revealed sags in the pipe and roots growing into the pipe, near where sewage has backed up into homes
Emmaus Borough officials believe they might have found the reason why sewage has backed up into two homes on Pine Street. There are plans to try and resolve the problem either by the close of this year or early in 2012.
Two Pine Street residents, Joan Wildman and Penny Schaffer, complained to Emmaus Borough Council during its Sept. 6 meeting that sewage was backing up in their homes.
Wildman questioned whether the sewer system, which dates to 1963, could handle the amount of waste that travels through it because of population growth since that time.
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Council referred the matter to its Public Works Committee.
Borough Manager Craig Neely said Friday the borough ran a video camera through a borough sewer main on Mulberry Street – near the Pine Street homes – and found two problems.
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There are sags in the pipe and roots have grown into the pipe.
“We can’t guarantee that that’s the cause,” Neely said, adding that sewer systems are quite complex.
However, the borough will make repairs in the system to the tune of $3,000 either by the close of this year or early in 2012.
“We figure that’s the best step to take at this point,” Neely said.