The Benefits of Post-Construction Warranty Inspections for Long-Term Sanitary Sewer Overflow Control Program Success

Over the past 10 years, the Town of Saugus, Massachusetts has experienced several large rain events that have caused significant sanitary sewer overflows (SSOs). A SSO facilities plan evaluated several options to control SSOs. Ultimately, the study recommended comprehensive rehabilitation of critical sub-systems over a 10-year period to reduce wet-weather flows. Due to the extended duration of the project, it was important to ensure predicted performance of the recommended rehabilitation measures. To do this, post-construction warranty inspections were completed on all lined sewer pipe and manholes prior to the expiration of the 1-year warranty period to determine the integrity of each installed product and to ensure that they were providing long-term protection from infiltration. This paper will detail the findings of post-construction warranty inspections, focusing on products used, failure rates, lessons learned and benefits, specifically for long-term construction programs, where consistent, long-lasting solutions are critical to the success of consent order driven programs.