Sewer Repair

Sewer mains are being repaired using a process called Cured-In-Place-Pipe (CIPP), a process used extensively to repair sanitary sewer and stormwater pipes. Lee’s Summit uses this to rehabilitate more than 35 miles of sewer lines throughout the City to ensure residents have safe and reliable sanitary sewer services.

The CIPP process is a cost-effective and non-invasive process that involves inserting a soft plastic liner inside a host pipe and then curing the liner with pressurized steam. There is no digging or trenching through this process.

The CIPP process uses a styrene monomer resin to rehabilitate the pipes. Styrene is widely used and can be found in items such as consumer electronics, medical supplies and packaging. In addition, foods such as coffee, strawberries and cinnamon naturally contain styrene. Styrene has a distinct odor that is noticeable at a threshold of 0.1 parts per million (ppm). The US Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has established a safe exposure standard for styrene of 50 ppm over an eight-hour day. Exposure levels from the CIPP process are significantly below this.

The process only takes a few hours. During this time, residents are asked not to run appliances and to limit water use. Once complete, residents can resume using water and the process should never need to be repeated.

Generally, odors entering homes are minor and subside quickly. Pouring water down dry floor drains and sinks and opening a window should eliminate the odor. In some instances, the odor can be more severe. This may be more prevalent in older homes or homes with defects in the private sanitary sewer service lateral or home plumbing system. If odors are severe or if you are experiencing adverse effects from the odor, consider evacuating or calling 911 to ensure your safety. Additionally, call Water Utilities at 816.969.1900 to schedule private sewer investigations to identify the defects allowing odors to penetrate the home.