During a routine sewer line check, the PMUA discovered that an 18 inch sewer line (clay pipe), which is 80-100 years old and carries 50% of Plainfield’s sewage, was severely damaged and not working properly.  Designated as the Rock Avenue Interceptor; the portion of the pipe between Jefferson Avenue and the Rock Avenue Pump Station, and adjacent to the Green Brook, has deteriorated; hazarding serious environmental contamination.

This pipe, which carries 2 million gallons of sewage each day, cannot be easily restored due to its close proximity to Green Acres property. Additionally, the banks of the Green Brook are continually eroding which could expose the pipe and cause it to collapse.  If this happens, raw sewage could escape and contaminate the brook.

This is a very time sensitive and matter at hand. The PMUA has already begun working with their engineers to examine the situation and determine the most responsible and cost effective solution. But with several important factors at hand, it’s important to look at overall strategy and long term benefit vs. immediate cost factor.

 Here are some insights into the options and obstacles being examined:

1. Replace a portion of the pipe and line the remaining portions.  Considering the pipe’s current location, this option would require Green Acres approval of a larger (10 ft.) easement needed to complete the repair. The easement could increase the project timeline and expense. Green Acres may not approve the expansion of the easement and it could take a minimum of 9 months to render a decision. This option also still keeps the interceptor adjacent to the Green Brook, leaving issues of bank erosion and pipe exposure unresolved. The approximate cost here is $664,000; not factoring in the additional cost of future repairs and clean-ups necessitated by pipe exposure and collapse, and subsequent sewage contamination.
   
   
2. Replace the existing pipe and relocate the interceptor farther from the Green Brook.  This option avoids the issue of the Green Brook bank erosion, but still requires Green Acres’ permission for a new easement; deliberation could take nearly a year or longer to conclude and approval is not guaranteed. The approximate cost for this project is $769,000. In addition to a higher price tag, needing Green Acres’ endorsement delays the repair of the presently damaged pipe, still leaving the brook at risk of costly hazardous pollution in the interim.
   
   
3. Run a new line under an undeveloped street. This appears to be the most effective and efficient approach to the overall situation. Here, the aforementioned obstacles are avoided; approvals for a new easement wouldn’t be needed as the new pipe line would be installed outside of Green Acres’ property. The line would also be positioned a safer distance from the Green Brook, where bank erosion, pipe exposure, and contamination risks would no longer be a factor.  This project would cost approximately $1,000,000, with no foreseeable costly emergency repairs and clean-ups, as with the previous options discussed. 

There is much to be considered, but the PMUA is carefully analyzing the options and considering all factors in this matter, to ensure that final course of action will be what serves the best interest of overall community.  Additional updates will be released as deliberation progresses.