The rehabilitation of the Swifts Beach sewer pipe that collapsed in 2016 is projected to begin Wednesday, Nov. 1.

Sewer Commission member Jim Gilberti outlined the progress of the project at the Thursday, Oct. 12 Sewer Commission meeting.

So far, a new gas line has been installed and the electrical lines have been adjusted due to the need to move one of the utility poles on Wankinquoah Avenue, according to Gilberti.

A new water line will soon be installed and the work on the sewer will then begin, Gilberti said.

After the pipe had collapsed, the town designed a plan to replace the gravity sewer system with an electronic low-pressure system. However, residents were not satisfied and wanted other options.

Due to the asbestos used in the original piping, if the broken pipe was completely removed, it would have to be shipped to Idaho for an expensive disposal process. 

This complicated the town’s ability to fix the piping until local businessman Danny Warren presented a solution at a meeting in June. 

Having won the bid and receiving state approval, Warren, working with Beta Engineering, will soon begin the process of implementing his plan, which has never been attempted before.

The plan is to insert a new pipe four feet above the old pipe at an angle. Warren and his team designed a resin that will seal the old asbestos-ridden piping, preventing any harmful particles from escaping.

There will also be new pipe connections going to each of the properties between the two manholes on the street.

Warren said that during construction, no resident will lose access to the sewer system or water. However, regular traffic on Wankinquoah Avenue will be blocked off and only emergency vehicles would be able to pass during construction. 

The road will then be paved under a different contract.