Smoke Testing Information

The City of Watauga will be conducting a physical survey of a portion of the City of Watauga's sanitary sewer system.  This survey involves the opening and inspecting of manholes and sewer lines in the streets and easements.  An important task of the survey will be the smoke testing of the sewer lines to locate breaks and defects in the sewer system.

The smoke that you see comping from the vent stacks on houses or holes in the ground is harmless, has little odor, and creates no fire hazard.  The smoke should not enter your home unless you have defective plumbing or dried up drain traps.  If this occurs, you should consult your licensed plumber.

If the harmless smoke enters through faulty plumbing, the potential exists for dangerous sewer gases to enter your home or business.  Should smoke enter your home or business, contact a representative of Burgess and Niple at 972.620.1255.  A crew member can check the sewer lines around your home or business to possibly determine the source of the smoke.

The City of Watauga will be working with crews from Burgess and Niple to conduct the sewer inspections. Crews may need to access sewer manholes in utility easements on your property.  Whenever these lines require investigation, members of the inspection crews will need access to the easements of the sewer lines and manholes.

Burgess and Niple personnel are uniformed and carry identification badges.  Homeowners do not need to be home and at no time will field crews have to enter your home or business.

Photographs will be taken of leaks occurring in the system.  We anticipate the smoke testing will require a few hours in each area.  your cooperation will be appreciated.  The information gained from this testing is being used to improve the quality of your wastewater collection system.

For more information, please contact Public Works at 817.514.5843.

Smoke Testing Fact Sheet
Smoke Testing Frequently Asked Questions