06/12/08 City Council Newsletter

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They also performed water quality experiments and studied the riparian zone while in the field. Aesthetically, however, the culmination came last week when conceptual photographer Daniel Dancer was taken 100 feet aloft in the ladder bucket of a reserve fire truck to photograph the students assembled in the shape of a leaping salmon and the words "Save Our Salmon." "We have never before pulled off a project this big to honor the salmon and impact the lives of our students' conscious mind's eye," Gillespie said. "We greatly appreciate the Fire Department's assistance in making this happen." The photo, which now becomes a part of Dancer's Art for the Sky project (www.artforthesky.com), was made into postcards that the students could mail or keep as a memento of the study project. For more information, please contact Joe Zaludek, deputy chief/Special Operations, at 682-7103. Smoke-Testing of Sewer Lines Begins June 23 in Crest Drive Area Approximately 35 miles of sanitary sewer lines in south and east Eugene are scheduled to be smoke- tested beginning Monday, June 23. The testing locates defects and improper connections that allow stormwater runoff and groundwater to enter the public wastewater collection system. The testing also will measure the effectiveness of recent wastewater system repairs and provide some insight into the conditions of the private sewer lines serving homes and businesses. This year's testing includes portions of the wastewater collection system in the Crest Drive, Friendly, Southeast, Jefferson Westside and Far West neighborhoods. Testing will begin in the Crest Drive area th near West 34 Avenue and Tigertail Road and is expected to take several months to complete. During the tests, which are endorsed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, non-toxic, white smoke is released into underground sewer lines to identify problems. Residents are notified before testing begins in their neighborhood. The smoke will not harm plants or animals and will quickly dissipate, leaving no residue or stains. After smoke is blown into a sewer line, crew members watch for tell-tale signs of deteriorated lines or improper connections. White smoke rising from the ground generally indicates a crack or other defect in a sewer line. Smoke coming from a roof gutter, downspout or area drain indicates that a storm drain is improperly connected to the wastewater collection system. Deteriorated sewer lines and improper stormwater connections cause a problem called inflow and infiltration. The region's wastewater collection and treatment system is designed to carry only so much water and sewage. Inflow and infiltration of stormwater runoff and groundwater can overload the system, increasing the difficulty and cost of transporting and treating wastewater. If smoke-testing reveals a defect in the public portion of the wastewater collection system, the defect is corrected as soon as possible. If extensive defects are found, capital rehabilitation projects are planned, funded,and completed, to correct the problem. If smoke-testing identifies a stormwater connection prohibited in the City code, such as a roof drain connected to the sanitary sewer, the property owner is notified and is required to correct the problem. If the testing indicates a defect in the private portion of the sewer (usually in the line that connects the building to the public sewer), the owner is notified of potential problems with the sewer, and repair or replacement of the defective line is recommended. For more information, contact Carla Spangler, I/I investigation project manager, at 682-4894. EWEB and Campbell Center Help Neighbors Turn Lemons into Lemonade Neighbors in the Skinner Butte area got together for a BBQ dinner at Lamb Cottage and games in the park Wednesday night while EWEB crews made needed repairs to area electrical lines. The neighborhood event turned what could have been a dark and inconvenient evening into a fun, community activity. The event was the brainchild of Skinner Butte area resident Jeff Gunderson. When he saw the EWEB door hanger announcing a planned power outage from 4:30 – 11 p.m., he wondered how he and his neighbors would manage dinner and other routine evening activities. He contacted Yvaughn Tompkins, program manager at Campbell Community Center, and Mike Logan, EWEB key accounts program manager, to figure out how to make the best of the situation. Staff at Campbell Center offered to coordinate a neighborhood dinner at Lamb Cottage, a City rental facility in Skinner Butte Park that was not affected by the outage. And, since the Campbell Center has a EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER PAGE 2 June 12, 2008