The testing will be performed by a City’s ENV crew during normal business hours and generally should not affect the public. You do not need to be present but you may notice City personnel working in the area. The testing consist of injecting white smoke into a sewer manhole, which migrates through the underground sewer pipes, while City personnel concurrently canvas the area to observe where the smoke will surface. It is normal for the test smoke to appear and exit from the rooftop plumbing vents during the testing. People and pets with respiratory illnesses should be temporarily evacuated as a precaution.

Test smoke should not enter your home unless you have defective plumbing or dried up drain traps. If you have any seldom used drains, please pour enough water in the drain to fill and create a water seal in the plumbing u-trap prior to the test. Should you observe smoke appearing inside your dwelling during the smoke testing, please open windows to vent out the smoke then contact the onsite City crew or call our dispatch number listed below.