Harmar officials update residents on sewage issues, next steps

Harmar officials gave residents an update Thursday on efforts to resolve the ongoing sanitary sewage overflows happening in their homes.

The issue was brought up during a supervisors meeting Sept. 16. Many residents from the Chapel Downs neighborhood said they face issues of water flooding their basements or raw sewage from neighboring properties flushing into their homes.

Officials promised residents they would take immediate action to find the cause of the problem.

Township engineer Matthew Pitsch said a smoke test was completed late September to early October. The test was conducted from Highbury Road to the municipal boundary. Pitsch said a suspect pipe containing blockage was found between Philomena Circle and Bromley Circle and jetting equipment was used to eliminate it.

Further investigation was done this week with sewer cameras to look into the pipes. The township will look to purchase a 6-inch camera line to look in the lines because their current sewer camera can only handle 8-inch lines.

“We found that it is not a sanitary connection so it will be blocked off,” Pitsch said.

The next step in the process is to inspect the downspouts near Adat Shalom, a community synagogue near the boundaries where the smoke testing was done. Pitsch said it is a private line with two residential homes so the township is communicating with the solicitor to gain permission to inspect them.

“The smoke testing didn’t point out anything but it didn’t tell us there wasn’t an issue either,” Pitsch said.

Pitsch hopes another storm like Hurricane Ida does not occur during the process.

“Hopefully during this time of year right now, we shouldn’t be getting storms like that and should be able to get the data we need,” he said.

Residents asked what they should do while the township continues its investigation.

”I am optimistic we will find something. I know it is frustrating. We just ask for patience,” said Supervisors Chairman Bob Seibert.

He recommended that residents could put a rubber plug in the floor drain. But he acknowledged that the plug could only do so much since other drains would also need to be plugged.

Lisa Mitten, one of the residents facing severe flooding in her home, said she is encouraged by the work being done, but understands it will take time. She was able to see the smoke testing being done by her home.

“We’ll see what happens, but I can only hope something gets resolved,” she said.