To improve sewer service to citizens, the City of Palm Coast will be smoke testing the sanitary sewer lines for homes in ‘The Woodlands’ B-section. It will include all streets between Old Kings Road and Colbert Lane, from Blairsville Drive to Oak Trail Boulevard.
This smoke testing will be done Monday through Thursday, June 28 through July 1. This test, which involves forcing smoke into the sanitary sewer lines, will check for leaks, breaks and defects in the system. (See a detailed explanation here.)
The smoke is odorless, creates no fire hazard and will not enter your home or business unless you have defective plumbing or dried-up sink traps or floor drains. The smoke test should only affect your home for approximately 15 minutes. Homes affected by smoke testing will find a door tag hanging on the front door.
The smoke used for this test is manufactured strictly for this purpose, leaves no residuals or stains and has no effect on plants and animals. Direct contact with the smoke may cause minor respiratory irritation in some people.
If people in your building suffer from a heart condition, asthma, emphysema or some other respiratory condition and are planning to stay in the building during testing, notify the City of Palm Coast at 386-986-2371 to discuss your specific case.
Prior to testing, please pour two gallons of water in the seldom-used sinks or floor drains to prevent sewer gases, smoke or odors from entering the premises. If smoke does enter your home during testing, immediately remove yourself from the building, notify the crews that are conducting the test or call the City. Again, if smoke enters your home, it is an indication of a plumbing defect, so you should also notify a plumber. While we can assist in the location of any defects on private property, the correction of any defects are the responsibilities of the property owner.
Smoke that you will see coming from the vent stacks on houses is normal. However, smoke coming from holes in the ground IS NOT normal and is considered a defect. All such defects will be photographed and logged. The City will then contact the property owners if a defect is located on private property.
This smoke testing is part of the City’s continuing effort to provide a safe, economical, efficient and environmentally sound sewer system throughout Palm Coast. The smoke testing procedure has been recommended by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency as an effective means of identifying problem areas in the sewer system. Eliminating system defects and illegal connections will help our community remain in compliance with the new federal legislation regarding sewer systems maintenance and sanitary sewer overflows.
Any resident that suffers from respiratory conditions and would like to be notified when they will be on your street, please call 386-986-2371. For additional questions or concerns, please visit www.palmcoastgov.com/smoketest or call Customer Service at 386-986-2360.
Thank you for your cooperation.
For more information, contact customer service at [email protected] or 386-986-2360. A request can also be submitted through palmcoastconnect.com.
Charlie Ericksen Jr says
Why do I think, this is going to be a major CITY SNAFU ?? While this project is just going to be done on one lettered neighborhood, What determined that decision? And Why?? ( Did/Do they suspect problems??) The city is placing all the responsibility on the neighborhood to call in for help in understanding …How long will this last? ( 1 hours, or what?) What about babies in the house?? What happens if a senior resident, doesn’t fill up sinks, etc ,, What if damage does occur?? Owner responsibility??….
Come on Palm Coast, you’ve got to do better to convince me..
Perhaps, you should try this first on City property
FlaglerLive says
Smoke testing is done routinely every few years by municipalities with sewer systems. In Palm Coast, the B Section was tested in 2011, parts of the W and C Sections later that year, F Section in 2012, P Section in 2013, Palm Coast Plantation in 2014, Bunnell did it in 2018, and so on.
Deep Purplelips says
Smooooke on the sewer.
A fire in the sky.