The City of Geneva will be performing sanitary sewer smoke testing from Monday, Aug. 31 to Friday, Sept. 25 in the Geneva East subdivision, weather permitting.

Smoke testing consists of blowing white smoke with pressure into the sanitary sewer manholes, forcing the smoke to exit through roof plumbing vents, downspouts, window well drains, cracked pipes, etc. The smoke is non-toxic and harmless to humans, pets, food, and material goods, although some people may find it irritating to their nasal passage. The smoke also leaves no residue and will not stain or corrode surfaces.

Deuchler Engineering Corp., the City’s contractor, hopes to achieve the following goals with the testing:

• Assess the condition of the sanitary sewer to determine areas to repair/replace as needed;
• Reduce stormwater inflow and infiltration entering the sanitary sewer system; and
• Mitigate the potential for sanitary sewer surcharging and/or basement backups.

A smoke testing progress map can be found on the City’s website.

The City will be sending a letter to all impacted properties and units impacted by the smoke testing, and a yellow door hanger will be distributed as a reminder a minimum of 24 hours in advance of the contractor beginning operations. Residents are requested to pour water into floor drains, laundry tubs and other plumbing fixtures that are not regularly used upon receiving the yellow door hanger. This step will fill the fixture traps and help prevent smoke from entering homes.

Geneva East residents are not required to be home during the test. People with respiratory conditions or other concerns can contact Deuchler Project Manager Bobby Peters at 630-800-0905 or via email. The City also has posted a FAQ document to help answer some of the most common smoke testing inquiries.

Questions about the sanitary sewer evaluation can be directed to the City’s Public Works Department Water Division by calling 630-232-1551.