Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, December 15, 1993 TAG: 9312160263
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV2 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: PAUL DELLINGER STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: PULASKI LENGTH: Medium
Draper Aden Associates showed a remote-controlled recorder-on-wheels video taken inside the 24-inch line going into Dublin. The inspection cost about $30,000, but it paid off because it showed corrosion that Draper Aden engineers did not suspect was there.
``We were thinking we were going to get out of this severely corroded pipe down in that area,'' said Steve Herzog, based on spot checks at mains and other data gathered from outside the trunk line. But the internal inspection showed that would have been the wrong conclusion.
The video, kept mostly on fast-forward, zipped down miles of sewer like a bullet through a gun barrel, its light revealing rough textures all around and exposed steel in some areas.
Herzog charted areas that he listed as priority one, which need to be replaced soon; priority two (``It could last another 10 years or we could have a collapse tomorrow''), and priority three (``Let's not worry about it'').
But there is so little priority three along the line that was surveyed that the engineers thought the town might as well go ahead and replace it all - a project that could cost more than $760,000.
``We didn't find any pipe where we felt a whole section was in undamaged condition,'' Herzog said.
``We're still looking at financing options,'' said Town Manager Tom Combiths, such as low-interest Farmers Home Administration loans. He said he hoped to have a funding proposal by January.
Some costs would be paid by Pulaski County and Dublin, but most would come from the town of Pulaski, to which the line belongs.
The survey ran from a force main into Dublin, under a railroad and in the area of the law office of Commonwealth's Attorney Everett Shockley. Building a new line will require permits from Norfolk Southern Corp. to go under the rail line, as well as from the state Department of Transportation. ``We haven't talked a whole lot about the section from Dublin to Fairlawn yet,'' said Pulaski Town Engineer John Hawley.
Hawley recommended that the town buy its own TV monitoring unit. More explora tion of lines will be necessary at about $30,000 each time, he said, and the unit could be purchased for a little more than the cost of two such excursions.
William Aden, representing the engineers hired by the town, said further TV exploration probably would be necessary to make sure lines are in better shape farther along. ``Once we get out of the problem, it's probably not going to start up again,'' Herzog said.
by CNB