APRIL 2001

Page 8

The City's plans to replace the main sewer line through our neighborhood continues on schedule and should begin by the end of May.   The Veterans Trunk Sewer line which runs roughly along Little Nancy Creek from the Capital City Club to Wieuca and West Wieuca Roads is one of 10 sewer replacement projects in Atlanta mandated by the 1999 Consent Decree.  This project along with other steps identified in the Consent Decree are designed to bring Atlanta into compliance of the Clean Water Act by eliminating sanitary sewer overflows.

Through efforts by the neighborhood to minimize the impact of this project on neighbors' property and to the environment, the City agreed to bid the project 2 different ways.   The first follows the original plans to replace the majority of the sewer line using the 'open cut' method of construction. With 'open cut' construction large equipment is brought in, trees and landscaping are removed, and streets dug up to remove the old sewer line and install the new line..  Under the second option approximately 80% of the existing line will be replaced using a newer technology called 'pipe bursting'.  Pipe bursting replaces sewer line by inserting a bursting device into the existing sewer line, bursting the pipe open , and pulling the new pipe in behind it.  No trenching is needed.  The bursting device and new pipe is inserted in one manhole and pulled out at the next manhole.  Thus it is only necessary to for construction activity to occur at each manhole.  In general this technology saves time and money over tra

ditional methods and most importantly minimizes disruption to the neighborhood and to the environment.  For more information on 'pipe bursting' technology visit http://www.trenchlessdataservice.com/bursting/pipbrstg.htm

Bids under these 2 methods were closed  on April 6^th.  As of the writing of this article the City has not chosen which option to use.  However, they have agreed to hold a public meeting to discuss the alternatives before making a decision.   When the meeting is announced we will notify the neighborhood.   In the meantime,  contact Dave Peters the City of Atlanta Deputy Commissioner of Public Works at 404-330-6057 or dpeters@atlantaga.gov and let him know how you feel about this project and preserving our neighborhood.