This week crews working for the City began creating smoke in several neighborhoods, testing to find leaks in Richardson’s sewer system. It’s an unusual sight that catches people’s attention, and it works wonders in finding places where there are leaks. We spoke with technicians about the process. They use a generator to blow nontoxic smoke into utility lines. The smoke then fills the space and escapes wherever there’s a leak or bad connection. Smoke testing began in 2016 and is part of a multiyear program. So far, about 1.3 million linear feet of sewer pipe has been checked including the Floyd Branch, Duck Creek, and Cottonwood Basin. This year the crew is finishing testing in the Spring Creek Basin. Visit cor.net/smoketest for more information.
