Question to other pros

[plumberjunkie12]

I have a 220' 4" clay tile sewer line on a school district. 8ft deep. Clean outs every 75ft. Kids chunked down rocks, concrete(big chunks) the pieces get turned very witch way possible and get caught in the pipes. and just about anything else u can imagine. The line keeps clogging up bc of the debris. I've used jetters,sewer augers,pump trucks etc. any advice?

 

[Chris]

Where are they getting access to the line? Are they taking cleanout covers off? I would start with making it not possible for them to get to it then a good jet or a Vacume truck should be able to get everything clear.

 

[plumberjunkie12]

Yeah they took the lids of the clean outs. Can't blow or suck them out bc I can't plug off the end of the lines. There's like 3 or 4 more lines conjoining this main line. And I had the city come out with there jetter and it can't get past the chunks to blow it towards the street. And the city doesn't want the chunks of cc in there tap or main line.

 

[phishfood]

Have you tried dropping a vac hose down a cleanout, using a camera and a funnel retriever head together to push the debris downstream to the vac hose?
Just a thought.

 

[Chris]

Yes a vacuum or vac truck might be the only way. A vac truck will send a good size vacuum line down the lateral and pick up whatever is in there. Either that or a shop vac with a long line may work, we use them all the time. I actually installed a Clay sewer line today.

 

[plumberjunkie12]

Yes I have tried a vacuum truck. The chunks of cc are too big and far down the line. Since I can't plug off the line at the end to Create a suction I get no where. Thanks for the thoughts guys. I replaced it. And may I ask why u use clay pipe? Is it requires where u at?

 

[phishfood]

My understanding is that the city of Chicago requires clay pipe for sewers. I have heard of no other area that it is common to install clay sewer.

IF it doesn't get physically damaged and IF the mortar joints hold up and don't let roots intrude and IF the dirt doesn't settle and cause offset joints, the pipe itself seems to hold up very well.

 

[Chris]

Los Angeles and a few other cities out west here require Clay pipe, I actually just installed a Clay lateral in LA this week. Most of the mainline stuff is bell spigot and the lateral stuff is band seal with rubber couplings.