This past July 29 to 31 weekend, Swifts Beach’s collapsed pipe became clogged and briefly backed up the sewer system, according to Sewer Commission Chair Bernie Pigeon.

This blockage is not unusual since the pipe collapsed in 2015, Pigeon said.

He added with the collapse located at the top of the pipe, “Everything's still flowing, but it has so many opportunities to catch on things and let them build up the block, and that's basically what they're chronically dealing with,” Pigeon said.

Members of the Water Pollution Control facility visit the area multiple times a week to check in on the wastewater levels in order to remedy any significant build up or blockages, he said.

A camera and alarm system keep the crew informed on the status of the sewer pipe, Pigeon said.

At the Monday, July 24 Special Town Meeting, the town voted to approve the use of the $3 million allocated for the unfavorable Swifts Beach grinder pump project toward a different plan of repairing or relining the pipe.

At a Sewer Commission meeting Thursday, June 8, local businessman Danny Warren presented a plan that could solve the problems at Swifts Beach, while avoiding the use of those pumps.

The plan would allow a new pipe to be inserted into the old sewer pipe, which extends 289 feet between two manholes on Wankinquoah Avenue. 

The old pipe has asbestos. If completely removed, it would have to be shipped to Idaho for an expensive disposal process.

With the new process, only 30 of the 289 feet would have to be dug up and sent to Idaho. 

As a solution for the remaining pipe, Warren demonstrated a resin that can seal anything that tries to escape, including asbestos.

When the resin reacts with water, Warren said, it “basically explode[s] and turn[s] into a plastic very, very, very quickly” encapsulating the old pipe while pulling the new one into place.

Prior to the work on the old pipe, a new pipe would be inserted four feet above the old pipe at an angle. 

“We're not going to abandon that asbestos pipe down below,” Warren said. “We're going to use this new process to score it, spread it and put a brand new pipe in.”

There would be new pipe connections going to each of the properties between the two manholes.

“You wind up with a new welded-together plastic sewer system that will never ever leak again,” Warren said.

At the time of Warren’s presentation, he said the project was only awaiting approval from the Department of Environmental Protections.

To this day, “frustratingly, we're waiting for paperwork,” Pigeon said of the plan.

“The people down at Swifts Beach are absolutely wonderful,” he said. 

Pigeon emphasized the work Sewer Commissioner Bob Scanlon has done for the Swifts Beach neighborhood. 

“He's been fantastic,” he said. “He's been on site most of the time.”

Pigeon added, “I think people just have been understanding — very much so — and Swifts Beach people are just wonderful.”

He said while workers were fixing the backup, neighbors shared chairs, handed out cold water and chatted with the crew.

He added the people are “very considerate and patient,” and he credits that to a lot of the work Scanlon has done.