What’s that smell? DPU to replace aging Museum District sewer lines

No, that’s not Cousin Eddie out in his bathrobe; it’s official DPU business.

December 5, 2014; 11:29 AM • by Trevor Dickerson

If the Museum District smells a little funny on Monday, it isn’t because Cousin Eddie from Christmas Vacation is out emptying the RV.

The Richmond Department of Public Utilities will be using a primarily trenchless process to replace aging sewer pipelines. It’s a process called Cured-In-Place Pipe (CIPP), and it’s minimally invasive to the street infrastructure, according to officials.

From a DPU news release:

Am-Liner East, Inc. will be installing Cured-In-Place liner on Monday, Dec. 8 in the 3100 block of Elwood Ave, between Auburn Avenue and Belmont Avenue. Notification flyers were distributed to residents.

Am-Liner East, Inc. will be installing Cured-In-Place liner on Wednesday, Dec. 10 in the 3500 block of Park Avenue, between Thompson and Nansemond. Notification Flyers will be distributed on Monday, Dec. 8 to those residents.

SEWER SERVICE DISRUPTION: Installation of the CIPP Liner will temporarily block your sewer connection. Please limit or reduce the amount of water discharged to the sewer, including: toilet flushing, dish and clothes washing, and use of sump pumps. Excessive use (more than three flushes) may result in a backup into your building. Any sump pumps should be turned off or the outflow redirected. Water service is not affected. Residents may resume normal use once the installation trucks have cleared the site or as individually notified.

ODOR: Residents in the vicinity of these lining operations should not be alarmed if you detect a chemical odor while the CIPP lining is installed. You will be smelling styrene, which is an integral component of the resin used to saturate the CIPP liner that is installed into the sewer. This odor should quickly dissipate once the installation process is complete. Pouring a gallon of water into sinks, floor drains, or other drainage openings, especially those that are seldom used and whose traps may be empty of water, before the work begins should prevent any odor from entering the building/home. If you do detect an odor, simply open your windows and/or turn on a fan to help ventilate the building/home.

Photo: Warner Bros. Entertainment