The City of Courtenay will be conducting a “smoke” test of the sanitary sewer system in the following areas of South Courtenay from Aug. 12 to 16:
· The Ridge neighbourhood
· Cliffe Avenue commercial corridor from Mansfield Drive (north end) south to Anfield Road;
· Moray Avenue 30th Street, Kilpatrick Avenue commercial area;
· Hornby Place, Galloway Crescent, and the south end of Stewart and Piercy avenues.
“Smoke” testing is a commonly-used method to evaluate sewers, identify failed sanitary sewers, and locate connections between sanitary and storm sewers.
Testing is performed by blowing a harmless vapour into a sewer. The “smoke” is not a real smoke, but a mist containing a large percentage of moisture. It is highly visible at low concentrations. The smoke is expected to exit from manholes, the sewer stack at the top of your house, catch basins and downspouts.
The smoke is non-toxic, leaves no residue or stains, and has no impact on plants or animals. However, if smoke enters your home or business, it may signal plumbing defects in your home. Contact Public Works Services at 250-338-1525 for more information.
Please be aware of getting too close to the smoke as direct contact can cause minor respiratory irritation in some people. If you are within the testing areas and people in your building or residence have asthma, emphysema or some other respiratory condition, and are planning to remain in the building during the testing, please notify Public Works so we can discuss your case in further detail.
FMI: visit www.courtenay.ca/smoketestFAQs, or email publicworks@courtenay.ca