Progress on Infiltration and Inflow Investigation

Progress on Infiltration and Inflow Investigation

Following one of the rainiest Augusts on record, recent dry weather has provided much-needed relief and the opportunity for City staff to step back, evaluate operations, and continue investigating the sources of infiltration and inflow that overwhelmed the sanitary sewer system on the south end of Tybee during heavy rain events—resulting in three sewage spills.

Last week, the City’s contractor, PKX, completed jetting and televising all sewer lines and lift stations in the Jones and Miller Avenue area, where the issues occurred. City staff are now reviewing the video footage to identify problem areas and develop a targeted corrective action plan.

Additionally, contractors recently rehabilitated several raised sanitary sewer manholes that had experienced concrete deterioration. This week, those manholes are being lined to further improve system integrity and prevent future spills.

Water and Sewer staff have also implemented new proactive protocols for managing lift station capacity. Moving forward, they are authorized to monitor weather forecasts and preemptively pump down lift stations in advance of significant rainfall to increase available capacity and reduce the risk of overflow.

These efforts have provided valuable insight into the condition of the City’s sewer infrastructure and reinforced the need for a consistent, long-term capital improvement strategy to maintain system resilience and reliability.