SUMMARY OF STANDARD PRACTICES AND REQUIREMENTS
FOR CONSTRUCTION AND REPAIR OF SEWER
SERVICE CONNECTIONS AND SEWER SYSTEM EXTENSIONS
This guide has been prepared to highlight various aspects of the Town’s “ Rules and Regulations Governing the Use of Public Sewers”, outline permit procedures and installation regulations for the construction and repair of sewer service connections and repair by licensed drain layers and sanitary sewer system extensions by developers.
GENERAL REQUIREMENTS
A. Permits- Before any person shall make any excavation for or construct,install,
lay, repair, alter, abandon, or remove any sanitary sewer, sewer service, or storm drain connection or appurtenance thereof, a permit must be obtained from the Palmer WWTP, 1 Norbell Street Three Rivers Massachusetts. Permits shall be as described under Article VIII of the Sewer Use Regulations.
B. Issuance of Permits- Before a permit is issued the following requirements must be meet.
1) Only a licensed drain layer in the Town of Palmer shall do work. License applications are available at the Wastewater Treatment Plant, 1 Norbell Street Three Rivers, Ma.
2) Necessary bond and insurance certificates are to be furnished at the time of permit application and approved by the Town.
3) Any Federal, State, or local permits required in conjunction with this work (such as a State Sewer Extension Permit) must have been obtained and copies furnished to the Town.
4) Where the sewer may possibly be subjected to prohibited wastes as outlined in the Sewer Use Regulations, i.e. Oil, grease, sand, silt, etc. or as determined by the Town Manager or his/her authorized agent, plans and specifications showing the proposed installation and details of the system are required. In particular, plans and specifications must be submitted and approved for all pretreatment facilities, sewer system extensions, sewerage ejectors or pumps, and all systems requiring oil or grease separators and/or sand traps.
C. Safety- All phases of work must be kept safe for pedestrians and vehicles passing in the vicinity at all times.
LICENSED DRAINLAYERS PROCEDURE
A. Applications for drain layers license may be obtained from the Wastewater Treatment Plant’s office, 1 Norbell Street, Three Rivers, Ma. any weekday between the hours of 8:00 A.M. and 2:30 P.M. Completed applications should be returned to this office. The application should be accompanied by the required bond and certificate of insurance as outlined in Article VIII of the Sewer Use Regulations.
B. If application is approved, a license card, signed on behalf of the WWTP, will be issued. A license fee of $100.00 will be collected at this time. Annual renewal fee (providing bonding and insurance requirements are met) will be $100.00.
C. If the work is to be done by a master plumber, a copy of the master plumber’s
License is required before the start of any work.
D. The following procedure must be used to connect a building to sewer lateral:
1. A forty-eight (48) hour notice must be given to the appropriate water department before any excavation work begins so that department can mark out the water service. All other applicable utilities shall also be notified along with Dig- Safe.
All lines shall be located a minimum distance of ten (10) feet laterally from, or cross a minimum of eighteen (18) inches below, any water service. In no event shall a sewer line cross over a water line.
2. Prior to any excavation, the drain layer must obtain the necessary
information from the DPW or WWTP office to properly locate the sewer lateral at the property line.
3. The drain layer must expose the sewer lateral connection to verify that
The elevations are adequate to connect to the house. This is to be done prior to any excavation through the homeowner’s property.
If there is any question regarding adequate slope or sufficient cover for the sewer lateral, WWTP office is to be notified and the matter resolved before any additional excavation is done. Failure to adhere to the above may result in the revocation of the drain layer’s license.
4. In particular, the drain layer Contractor should note the requirements of
Article VIII and IX of the Sewer Use Regulations regarding inspection. All sewer connections must be inspected and approved by the Town Manager or their designated representative before the trench is backfilled.
Standard Construction Requirements
A. In construction of house sewer- connections, the pipe shall be laid on an even tamped foundation in an envelope of either coarse sand, fine gravel or ¾” crushed stone except that when wet or soft soil conditions prevail, ¾ crushed stone shall be used for foundation of all pipe. Envelope shall not have less than six (6) inches of said material well compacted under and all around the pipe. Special care shall be taken to compact the pipe to the springline and the full trench width.
B. Pipe shall be laid in a reasonable straight line and not less than 1/4inch per foot grade.
C. Cover shall be a minimum of four (4) feet in existing lawn, five (5) feet minimum in driveway or parking lot or where ground surfaces will be altered.
D. During construction or any temporary termination, an approved type cap must be used in the end of the pipe to prevent drainage, water, or debris from entering the public sewer.
E. Pipe material and joints shall be an approved type preferably the same as used in existing lateral. Approved pipe material and joints are as follows
Pipe Material |
Strength (Min) |
Acceptable Joints |
ABS Solid Wall |
SDR 23.5 |
Solvent Weld |
Asbestos Cement |
Class 3300 |
O – Ring |
Ductile (or Cast) Iron |
Class 50 |
Push on or M.J. |
PVC |
SDR-35 |
O-Ring or Solvent |
Vitrified Clay |
Extra Strength |
Compression type Conforming to ASTM C-425-74 or new amendment |
F. At transition point of two different types of pipe in the same house connection,
the joint shall be made in an approved manner with the approved coupling.
IMPROPER DISCHARGES TO SEWER
A. Until proper fixtures have been completed and tightly joined to a house sewer
Connection, no one shall allow, pump, or discharge any waters, wastes, or other drainage to the sewer, house connection or public sewer.
B. Clean water drainage to the public sanitary sewer is prohibited by the Town of
Palmer. All subsoil drainage, storm water, roof water, surface and subsurface drainage and cooling water shall be separate from house connection plumbing.
C. The Town Manager or his/her authorized representative, may when deemed
advisable, require leakage test of pipe and structure after construction of a residential, commercial, or industrial connection, in accord with the Sewer Use Regulations. Leakage test will be conducted on all sewer extensions.
CLEANOUTS AND BENDS
A. Lateral runs of 100’ or longer shall have a below surface cleanout every 100’ and
at the end of the service.
B. Laterals running around and to the rear of buildings shall have a cleanout at
building end of service.
C. Non more than 2 angle points or total angular deviation of 180 degrees.
Cleanouts shall be installed at each deflection.
LEAKAGE TESTING
A. All gravity sewers will be subjected to either infiltration or an exfiltration test to be
witnessed by the Town’s representative. The type of test required will be
contingent upon ground water conditions in the area where lines are to be tested.
These tests shall include losses and gains through manholes as well as pipe walls
and joints, house connection fittings and pipe. No building shall be connected to a
newly installed sewer until such time as the sewer has been satisfactorily tested.
B. The Contractor under supervision of the Town shall carry out where lines are
installed in areas having a high ground water level, an infiltration test continuing
for at least four (4) hours. Various sections of the line shall be isolated through the
use of watertight plugs and the quantity of water entering the pipe during a
predetermined time shall be measured.
C. Where lines are installed in relatively dry areas, an exfiltration test shall be
imposed on the sewer. Isolating various sections of the line through the use of
watertight plugs and filling the line with water to a predetermined level shall carry
out this test. The loss of water in a predetermined time shall be determined by
measuring the quantity of water required to refill the line to the original level.
D. The length of line tested at one time shall be as directed by the Engineer and shall
be dependant upon the grade of the sewer.
E. The maximum acceptable loss, through either infiltration or exfiltration, shall not
exceed 200 gallons per mile per 24 hours per inch of diameter of the pipe tested. When two 2 or more pipeline sections are tested at the same time, the allowable leakage for the shortest section shall be used as the acceptable loss for the entire
length being tested. Losses through manholes shall be included in determining the loss in a line.
F. In case leakage exceeds the above-specified amount, the Contractor shall locate the leaks and shall repair them at his own expense. Method of repair, if necessary, shall be subject to approval by the Town.
G. After repairs have been made, the line shall be re-tested and the process of repairing and re-testing shall be repeated until results within the above-specified limits are obtained.
DEFLECTION TESTING
Testing for PVC and ABS sewer extensions will also include a 5% Go, No-Go deflection test after the pipe has been in the ground for at least ninety (90) days. The deflection test shall be done with an instrument provided by the pipe manufacturer, approved by the Board of Selectmen or their authorized agent, and conducted in the presence of the Town’s authorized agent. Any system, which fails the 5% deflection test, may, at the discretion of the Town Manager, be ordered to be excavated, replaced, and retested.
BACKFILL OPERATIONS
A. Care shall be taken at all times that during backfilling the pipe is not disturbed
Or damaged by stones or other material. Backfill to a foot above the pipe shall be of a suitable granular nature with no stones larger than 8 inches on or near the pipe. Backfill material shall be subject to the approval of the Inspector.
B. The backfill shall be thoroughly tamped in lifts.
ABANDONED DISPOSAL FACILITIES
Abandoned septic tank, dry well, or other disposal facilities SHALL be pumped and
Filled with inert material such as sand or gravel etc.
RESTORATION
Complete restoration of areas with-in Town right of way shall include topsoil (fine grade) fertilization, seed, repair of damaged paving, curb, etc. All construction material shall be removed and sidewalks and roadways be broom swept.
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