La Manzanilla.info Message Board Archives

Re: Men's Breakfast update

Posted by Richard on January 7, 2011, 1:35 pm, in reply to "Men's Breakfast update"
187.146.81.192

I was asked to make a presentation about the current state of the town sewer system.
I went to talk to Morgan, the director of the town water system, to help point me in the right direction for some research.
He offered to attend the breakfast and tell what he knows; a lot.
Only two of the about 25 attendees are hooked up.
Not a whole lot of locals are hooked up. Those that are had no trouble with sewage backing up into their showers or blockages, etc., during the rainy season when rainwater intrusion into the system maxed out the grinder pumps, which were functioning by then.
THE SYSTEM
Grinder Pumps
Two 15HP pumps each capable of backup.
Backup Generator
There is one. I still am not clear if it is on Auto Start or is being exercised and is receiving scheduled maintenance
Float Switch-
There is one hooked up and functioning. At this time the Delegado, Raymundo, is turning it on every morning as he deems necessary per his personal monitoring of the levels. He is the first Delegado to have this responsibility and they are learning the system; watching it closely.
Septic "tank"-
There is a very large, multi chambered, underground septic field. It receives the "mud" from the grinder pumps which settles and digests in the first chambers and progressively clearer effluents flow over walls into successive gravel bottomed chambers where it soaks into the earth.
There are methane gas vents.
The system is designed to operate at capacity for 40 years.
Rainwater Intrusion
Will be minimalized each time someone hooks up because that is where groundwater is entering the system. The lateral drains, which extend to the curb are not tightly capped; they have a plastic bag over their ends to keep dirt out. This is obviously temporary because the idea is to have everyone hookup.
GETTING HOOKED UP
Permits will be issued by Dept. de Obras Publicas in La Huerta. The is a 3 or 4 mil peso charge now. Some already paid $1500 a couple of years ago. There will be monthly fees as well.
The labor and materials for the hookup are paid by the home or business owner.
I am trying to get in touch with Public Works to get a drawing of the extent of the system, which is said to exist, but the phone numbers I got don't work. A trip to La Huerta will probably be required.
I will continue to find out what I can and will post in the future re:SEWER.
84


Message Thread:

By posting, you confirm that you have read and agreed to be bound by the board's usage terms.

Back

Be sure to visit www.lamanzanilla.info