Leak in sewer siphon makes mess for village
by JILL SCHMELZER Reporter

Bob Lannon of CRA Engineering has been working diligently with engineers to determine the location of a leak in the southeast siphon of the Village of Williamsville sewer.

The engineers noticed a problem when tests showed the siphon continued to fill up with water after both ends of the pipes were plugged.

The state Department of Environmental Conservation currently allows for wet weather sanitary sewer overflows but not dry weather SSOs.

Lannon said he believes the DEC will no longer allow for wet weather overflows in the near future and that the village is proactive in eliminating the six it currently has.

This may be done by reconfiguring the flow of sewage and blocking flow at certain pipes.

However, the engineers first need to fix the siphon at Belmont Avenue, which includes 1,400 feet of pipe, making it difficult to locate the leak.

Lannon said to find the obstruction, the engineers needed to insert a camera into the sewer system. The problem was that most sewers have manholes every 300 to 500 feet, but because the piping goes underneath Ellicott Creek and into Glen Park, that stretch of sewer is approximately 1,400 feet in length. Most camera lines are made to run 300 to 500 feet. The terrain is also hilly and wooded, creating another obstacle the engineers needed to overcome.

If the flow isn't fixed, the waste could settle at the bottom of the pipe, blocking flow and causing the overflow.

This past weekend, the engineers were able to pinpoint where the problem is and are working on fixing it by the end of the week, said village Trustee Brian Geary.

Estimated costs for the scope of work are yet to be determined. "This stuff adds up," Geary said. "It's going to be a tough one."