Westmont council: camera testing sewer lines no longer accepted June 15, only pressure tests

May 12—Starting June 15, Westmont Borough homeowners will no longer have the option to camera test their lateral lines for stormwater infiltration.

By an ordinance amended Tuesday, only pressure testing will be an acceptable means of testing whether sewer lines are in compliance with the borough's state-mandated storm water infiltration project.

About 250 homeowners have already had their lateral lines tested by camera, and they will be grandfathered, said Gordon Smith, council sewer committee chairman.

Smith recommended the borough council begin accepting only pressure tests because they are more reliable and could better help the borough meet the state's requirements for reducing overflow at the Dornick Point sewage treatment plant.

"It's our responsibility to make sure the system passes," he said.

The borough's sewer project is on schedule to be complete in October.

The amendment prohibiting camera testing of sewer lines goes into effect June 15.

Councilman Bill Stasko was against the change initially, but he said at least the June 15 date gives people time to follow through on camera tests that have already been scheduled.

"I think we'll be OK. That should be fair then," he said.

By the time the grace period expires June 15, there could be 50 more homes camera-tested for a total of 300 homes, said Terry Reesey, one of the borough's sewer inspectors.

He said people who pressure-test their homes will likely avoid the need for another test if the borough still has overflow issues after the project's completion.

"If there are still problems, we'd start back at the houses that were camera-tested," he said.