Sewer cleaning in Peachtree City is turning up all sorts of problems, according to a report Monday to the Water and Sewer Authority (WASA).

Scott McDonald, technical services manager for the Peachtree City WASA, showed selected slides of the approximately 19,000 feet of sewer lines being inspected and cleaned in the Stevens Entry and Wisdom Road-Tinsley Mill areas. He noted that the videotaping process by Cross and Sons Inc. of Douglasville has revealed "offset joints" (places where pipes made of two different materials have been improperly joined), significant leaks of groundwater into the treatment system, and tree roots nearly blocking the flow in several places.

The good news is that problems are being identified and corrected, McDonald said. More than two pickup-truck loads of sand, gravel, asphalt chunks and other materials have been pulled out and disposed of, he said. The company is removing the tree roots and also re-taping the lines after cleaning to make sure that problems have been solved, he added. He said the process also has revealed that "huge chunks of grease" are more of a problem in residential areas than in commercial areas.

Larry Turner, WASA general manager, reported that so far in this budget year, revenues are up by $91,000 over budget estimates, while expenses are less than projections by $106,000. However, the Flat Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant is still costing about 50 percent over budget to keep operating, he said. Extra chemicals and processes are required for achieving treatment levels because of the age of the plant, he added.

The authority approved $16,500 to hire another treatment plant operator to maintain 24-hour staffing at the three locations. Having round-the-clock personnel is part of a spills-prevention plan put into effect after major spills last summer, Turner said. So far the authority has spent nearly $10,000 in overtime pay to maintain the staffing, so the $16,500 for the remainder of the budget year is a good investment, Turner noted.

The authority also declared a total of eight vehicles as surplus, including two hay-balers that were used when land-application of waste solids allowed growing and selling hay, Turner said. Also approved was an appropriation of $150,000 for three natural-gas pickups and a natural-gas sedan, routine replacement for an aging fleet, Turner said. The WASA "U-Haul type" truck will be converted into an emergency response vehicle, allowing such items as traffic cones, barricades, OSHA equipment and other emergency items to be kept secured in a vehicle. This will save lots of time over loading the things from a warehouse when needed, Turner said.

ODOR REPORT

The authority committed to correcting odor problems at Southern Shores, Interlochen, Rosemont and Starr's Mill by the most economical methods recommended by Vulcan Chemicals, a firm hired to evaluate the odor problems and make suggestions for solutions.