Village of Ashville, Ohio

Out in the Field - Finding and Fixing I&I

How do you find I & I?

I & I is a result of groundwater or stormwater that flows into the sanitary sewer system due to leaky sewer lines or manholes or from situations where storm water can flow into the sanitary sewer system through direct connections, such as catch basins or roof drain connections. While there are two general approaches to finding and dealing with I & I, there are a variety of methods to determine if and where the problems are located.

Proactive Detection - Sewer System Evaluation Surveys (SSES)

Several sewer system tests can be used to examine the condition of individual sewers and identify I & I sources. These proactive detection tests are called sewer system evaluation surveys. A few of these tests include:   

Smoke Testing portions of the sanitary sewer pipes involves pumping smoke through sanitary sewers from utility holes in streets or within public easements and observing and documenting where smoke exits. Depending on the specific circumstances, the exiting smoke can indicate the location of a broken pipe, manhole, catch basin, or where roof or foundation drains might be connected to the sewer system, indicating where I & I inflow might enter the sanitary sewer system.

Dye Testing: By using a fluorizine dye, inappropriate connections can be determined. For instance, if a dye is introduced to a catch basin and the dye is then observed in the sanitary sewer downstream from that point, the evidence would indicate that that catch basin is directly connected to the sanitary sewer system.

TV Inspection: Recording conditions using a TV camera within the pipes. Closed Circuit TV (CCTV) cameras have been developed that can be slid down sanitary sewer lines and record a "movie picture" of the conditions that are found in that section of sewer. This can identify breaks, root intrusion, leaking water (especially infiltration from groundwater), and general deteriorating conditions. Estimates can be made for how much infiltration might occur from such leaks.

Flow Monitoring: Open channel flow monitors are used to gather sewer hydraulic information and are installed in manhole locations. Flow metering of the system provides the technical framework upon which a successful I & I program is built. This program will verifying the size and location of local collection systems, modeling and mini-basin configuration, flow meter location approval, traffic control and safety plans, permitting, and fieldwork scheduling.

Rainfall Monitoring: The accurate measurement and reporting of rainfall quantities is necessary to provide a credible basis for the flow data. The team will utilize the rainfall data collected from  rain gauges located throughout Ashville. The collected rain gauge data will be input and utilized to generate accurate rainfall quantities in the I & I control program area.

Passive Detection:  Finding I & I through passive detection methods is a process of observing and noting where sewer flow problems occur. A prime indicator of I & I problems can be identifying where sewage flow backs up in the sewer system. Such backups can occur at sewage treatment facilities or in homes or businesses through drains, toilets or sinks, because a surcharge occurs in the sanitary sewer line. A surcharge is where sewage flows full in a sewage pipe and creates a pressure condition inside the pipe. This situation can force water back upstream, including up sewer lines and out openings in homes and businesses. Sewage flows can also back up and fill manholes to overflowing, resulting in untreated sewage flows being released to the environment causing potential environmental and public health concerns. The I & I Control Program is intended to reduce the incidence of this occurring.

Ashville is designing an I & I program to: meter and identify I & I in the overall system; determine cost effective I & I options & removal methods; and ultimately design a long-term control program for I & I.

The Service Department can affectively keep our streets clear this winter with your help.

When plowing streets and applying salt, the staff is monitoring vehicle location, pedestrian traffic, and the truck with its equipment. Therefore, they are encountering very hazardous conditions and need no additional distractions to the job they are performing.

Since we are likely to have more snow, the following  items would help the process of snow removal:

• Remove cars from the street. The biggest hindrance to snow plowing and spreading of salt is the presence of vehicles parked on the street.
• Do not pass a snowplow in the village and stay back a safe distance. Let the snowplow drivers concentrate on clearing the roadway. A driver has to watch the roadway and confirm the salt spreader is working, raise and lower plow blades, and drive the manual transmission truck besides driving through a snowstorm.
• Improve visibility - Like other big trucks, snowplows have poor visibility on the sides and behind the vehicle. Remember that if you can’t see the driver’s side mirrors, he or she can’t see you.
• Avoid driving into a snow spray cloud that is created by the plow, which could result in a total “white out” with zero visibility.
• Pile or blow the snow into your yard. It is best to remove the snow as early as possible to prevent the buildup of ice or packing of the snow. Residents are also asked not to shovel or blow snow from driveways or sidewalks into the street. This can create hazardous conditions and is prohibited by ordinance.

Another area involves sidewalks.

• Clear off your sidewalk(s), it can be an inconvenience to pedestrians or potentially create a hazard if an ice-patch results. Children need to be able to safely walk to school and to protect pedestrians from possible injury. Residents are required by ordinance to clear sidewalks (including crosswalks) within 24 hours after the end of a snowfall. Watch out for snowplows. If your sidewalk is icy, please apply salt to melt the ice or sand for traction.

If you have questions or wish to report information please contact:

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

or call 983-6367

Salt for our roads costs $135/ton, and every time we plow we use from 8 to 15 tons of salt. That equates to $1,350 to $2,025 per application.

Please use extra caution when driving near snow plows. Refrain from passing any snow plow until the plow vehicle stops or turns. If you do decide to pass, make sure there is a clear path to do so. Visibility may be impaired by blowing snow or other winter conditions.  Avoid driving into a snow spray cloud that is created by the plow as this may cause a total “white out” of zero visibility to the driver.

While we do not have specialized plows, the following may help you while you drive in areas the do. Motorists should use extra caution when driving near wing plows, which have a regular 12 foot plow in the front and a 9 foot wing plow that hangs to the right. This wing plowing system clears either the driving lane and shoulder lane or two lanes of traffic in one pass. This also means it can be extremely dangerous for motorists who try to pass the plow. One plow may be following another to clear a better path. The bottom line is use care when driving even if you are impatient because a plow operates at a slower speed.  There is a reason for the slower speed, your safety.

Chapter 905.01 SNOW REMOVAL POLICY

by Ashville's Services Department

Updated 11/1/2023 Since the Leaf Vac Machine is down, please note that Local Waste Services will removed bag leaves on Monday during their weekly pick-up.

As part of the Service Department duties, we provide leaf pick-up. This service will begin the last week of October and will end the last week of November, timing driven in large part by weather.  The village usually conducts trial runs to check equipment before the start date.
NOTE:  Leaves must be taken to the street. Schedule may be changed due to inclement weather or reasons beyond our control. Leaves piled in front or back of vehicles will not be picked 

up—we use the ten (10) “foot rule” to prevent damage.

No brush or flowers will be picked up. Local Waste Services will take limbs that are bundled or weeds (flowers) that are bagged.

The size of our equipment prevents us from traveling in alleys.

If you need to reach the Chief of the Service Department call the Administrative Office at (740) 983–6367 and ask for Greg Sturgill. He will return your call.

The Leaf Vac Machine being operated by the Service Department Gary, Buskirk, Jon Smith, Reed Sommerville, and Greg Sturgill.

This page has been revised to reflect the Infiltration and Inflow (I&I) Plan submitted to the OhioEPA as a result of the Director's Final "Finding & Orders"

Letter One to OhioEPA	Letter Two to OhioEPA	Plan Summary
Click on Image to the right for the OhioEPA Quarterly Reports on I & I. Follow this image on that webpage.

What is I & I?

I & I is clean storm and/or groundwater that enters the sewer system through cracked pipes, leaky manholes, or improperly connected storm drains, down spouts and sump pumps. Most inflow comes from storm water (rain) and most infiltration comes from groundwater. I & I affects the size of the Village of Ashville’s delivery and treatment systems and, ultimately, the rate businesses and residents pay to operate and maintain them. In extreme water flows Sanitary Server Overflows (SSO) were used to provide relief to Walnut Creek. We had at one time three (3) functioning SSO’s. The last Village of Ashville SSO was eliminated in mid 2007. Before that took place we spent twelve (12) months monitoring that location for any overflow. Please see definitions below.

Infiltration

The first I, Infiltration, is groundwater, or groundwater that is influenced by surface water that enters sewer pipes (interceptors, collectors, manholes (MH), or side sewers) through holes, breaks, joint failures, connection failures and other openings. Infiltration quantities often exhibit seasonal variation in response to groundwater levels. Storm events can trigger a rise in groundwater levels and increase infiltration flows. The highest infiltration flows are observed following significant storm events or following prolonged periods of precipitation. Since infiltration is related to the total amount of piping and appurtenances in the ground and not to any specified water use component, it is usually expressed in terms of the total land area being served, or in terms of the lengths and diameters of sewer pipe. The unit quantity used in this study is gallons per acre per day (GPAD).

Inflow

The second I, Inflow is surface water that enters the wastewater system from yard, roof and footing drains, from cross-connections with storm drains, downspouts, and through holes in manhole covers. Inflow occurs as a result of storm events such as rainfall, snowfall, springs or snow melt that contribute to excessive sewer flows. Inflow can also occur in sewer pipes or facilities that are subject to excessive sewage flows due to direct or indirect connections to a water body or operational inflows such as water system connections for sewer cleaning. Peak inflow can occur during heavy storm events when storm sewer systems are surcharged, resulting in hydraulic backups and local ponding.

Steps to Correct I&I

Project Dry Basement

Link to Project Dry Basement