(Monday through Friday between 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.), field crews will be conducting a survey of the wastewater collection system in your neighborhood. The North Miami Public Works Department will be performing this work. The field crews will be opening manholes in the streets. Information collected during this study will be used to improve and repair the wastewater collection system.
Field crews will be conducting Smoke Testing in your area during the next few days. These crews will be blowing smoke into the sewer lines and manholes in order to locate broken pipes and other defects. The smoke will exit from the vent pipes on the roofs of houses. The smoke is non-toxic, leaves no residue, and creates no fire hazard. The smoke will not enter your house unless there is defective plumbing present or the drain traps are dry. To help prevent smoke from entering your house, please pour about a gallon of water into any seldom used drains. Doing this will fill the drain traps and prevent smoke from entering your home. At no point in time, will the field crews need to enter your house and you do not need to be at home during the test.
Some Common Questions & Answers
- Is the Smoke Harmful?
No. It may make you cough, but it is not harmful to your health (as long as you don't continually breathe in for long periods of time) and it will not harm your clothing, drapes, or furniture. If you have any concerns because of an adverse breathing condition, please contact us prior to testing. - What Do You Do if the Smoke Gets into Your Home or Business?
Contact the field crew working in the area. Open windows for ventilation. After receiving notice that smoke testing will take place, you should check to see that all traps under basins, washing facilities, and floor drains have water in them. - What is the Purpose of Smoke Testing?
To find possible leaks in the sanitary sewer system and roof drain connections. - I Will Not Be at Home During the Smoke Testing and Have Pets In The House, What Should I Do?
The smoke is not harmful to pets. It would be a good idea to leave several windows partially open for ventilation should any smoke enter the home. If you have proper connections and all of the traps have water in them, the likelihood of there being any problems is minimal. - If Smoke Gets into the House or Business, How Long Does it Take For the Smoke to Dissipate?
This will depend on how much smoke enters the house or building and how much ventilation you can provide. - Can Smoke Stop Up the Sewers?
No. The smoke is made up of a vaporous substance. - What Happens If You Find a Bad Sewer or Lack of Traps in a House or Building?
This information will be documented and it will be given to the City’s Public Works Department to determine what steps are necessary to remedy the problem.
Your cooperation is appreciated. Should you have any additional questions or concerns, please contact the North Miami Utility Operations Center at (305) 895-9838 or Augustin Fleur-Aime, Operations Chief, at (305) 895-9834. In case of an emergency, please call 911.
