Sanitary Sewer Installation in Abilene, Texas

Gravity sewer is unforgiving about grade. A manhole invert set a half inch high or a pipe run with a belly will hold water, collect solids and produce a complaint long after the contractor has left, so we plan every sanitary sewer package around the survey, the bedding and the camera inspection that proves the line drains. In Abilene and the surrounding towns, that discipline is what public works inspectors look for first.

We coordinate trade partners for trenching, pipe installation and testing, and the concrete trade partners place the concrete that belongs to a sewer system: manhole bases, collars, encasements, cradles, pads and surface restoration. That division lets one party manage the sequence while specialists handle the pipe.

Taylor County covers 919.3 square miles, is served by Interstate 20, US 83, 84 and 277, Loop 322 and State Highways 36, 153 and 351, and has Abilene as its county seat. Sewer collection in a county of that size ranges from dense city mains to small town lines and private on-site systems, and each has different permit and inspection rules.

The concrete that surrounds the pipe

The concrete trade partners pour manhole bases and benches, concrete collars at connections, encasement for pipe that crosses under a road or runs with low cover, and cradles in poor soil. These pours need accurate forms, because the manhole invert must match the pipe grade, and they must cure before backfill loads them.

Partners we manage handle pipe installation, boring and bypass pumping. We attend the pre-installation meeting, review their laser grade control, and check the first few joints with the inspector, so that errors are caught in the first hundred feet, not the last.

Owners who build sewer

Commercial developers extend sewer to new pads, municipal and public works departments replace aging lines, and agriculture and dairy operations need process wastewater connections that are separate from the public system.

The Buffalo Gap Wind Farm, about 20 miles southwest of Abilene in Nolan and Taylor Counties, has 296 turbines and a total capacity of 523.3 MW built in three phases from 2006 to 2008. Wind and energy sites have small operations buildings that rely on septic or small lift stations, and we coordinate those with the county's on-site sewage requirements.

Permits, standards and acceptance tests

Public sewers follow the city's standard specifications and the state environmental agency's design criteria, including minimum slopes, manhole spacing and separation from water lines. Private sewer inside a property line follows the adopted plumbing code and is inspected by the building official.

Acceptance generally includes a deflection test on flexible pipe, an air or water test on joints, a vacuum test on manholes and a camera inspection with a recorded video. We schedule each test with the inspector, keep the recordings, and present them in the closeout binder with stationing that matches the as-built drawings.

Why sewer bids vary

Depth is the biggest driver. A shallow line in good soil is a modest trench, while a deep line in caliche or near groundwater requires shoring, dewatering and slower production. Pipe material, manhole count and the length of surface restoration add to the total.

Abilene buys water from Lake O.H. Ivie, about 86 miles south of the city, and the Hargesheimer Water Treatment Plant is being expanded to treat more of that water. Growth in treated water demand leads to growth in sewer flow, which may raise the pipe size the city requires; we ask early whether the plans reflect the current design flow. If the city intends to upsize a line in the next phase, it is far cheaper to install the larger pipe now than to reopen a new pavement section later, and owners appreciate hearing that before the trench is open and not after.

Confined spaces and deep trenches

Sewer work includes two of the most dangerous settings in construction: deep trenches and confined spaces such as manholes. We require trench protection, atmospheric monitoring, a rescue plan and a trained attendant at every entry, and no one enters a live manhole without a signed permit.

Heat is a real hazard in this region. Crews working in a trench in July face reflected heat from the walls, so shifts start early, water and shaded rest areas are provided, and supervisors look for the first signs of heat illness. The safety plan is submitted with the bid and reviewed with each crew. Before any worker enters a manhole, the attendant records the gas readings and the entry time on a permit, and the permit is kept with the daily report so the owner can see how the work was controlled.

Services that tie into a sewer package

Sewer work meets other underground systems at every crossing, so it coordinates with water main installation for separation, with manholes, vaults and structures for precast and cast-in-place structures, and with trenching and backfill for the compaction that keeps pavement from settling over the pipe.

Where excavation reaches groundwater, dewatering is added to the scope. Keeping these items on the same schedule prevents a trench from sitting open over a weekend.

What a sewer package includes

We begin with survey control, locates and potholing. Trench excavation follows, then bedding, pipe laying, manhole setting, service laterals, backfill and surface restoration. Each step has a hold point, and the pipe is not covered until the inspector has seen the joints and the grade.

Private projects include cleanouts, grease or sand interceptors where the use requires them, and a connection to the public main by permit. We hold the connection until the building rough-in is approved, so that no flow reaches an untested line.

Buildings that rely on the line

Food and beverage processing plants produce high flows and strong waste streams that need pretreatment, and hospitals require redundant, accessible service connections.

Schools and multifamily projects need sized laterals and cleanouts located where maintenance staff can reach them. Brownwood began supplying filtered water to Bangs in 1946, a reminder that small-town systems are linked to larger ones, and so are their sewers.

Talk through a sewer extension

Pass along the profile sheets and our estimator will go through grades, tie-in points, test requirements and the concrete structures on the line before you set a bid date. Contact us by form or phone.

Common Questions

What slope does a gravity sewer need?

Minimum grade rises as pipe size drops, and the governing design standard and the profile sheets give the figure. We hold grade with laser control and check it again at each manhole.

Do you use camera inspection on every line?

We recommend it, and most public owners require it. The recording shows sags, offset joints and debris, and we correct defects before paving.

Who owns the sewer after it is built?

Lines in public right-of-way are normally accepted by the city after the warranty period, while lines inside private property remain the owner's. The plans and the permit identify which is which.

Can you work in an existing street?

Yes. Street cuts require a permit and a traffic control plan, and the pavement is restored to the city's patch standard. Plates and temporary patches keep the road open until the final repair.

What happens if the existing sewer is not where the plans show it?

We stop at the discrepancy, record the depth and position, and send a request for direction. The tie-in is then redesigned with the engineer instead of forced in the field.