RJN Group Completes Smoke Testing in West Des Moines

RJN Group Inc.’s (RJN) Bettendorf, Iowa office is providing engineering services to address sanitary sewer system inflow and infiltration (I/I) issues for the City of West Des Moines, Iowa. To detect the defects in the sewer system, RJN performed smoke testing during the month of October.

Close to 150,000 lf of sanitary sewer were smoke tested in residential and industrial areas in the older part of the City.  RJN used the dual blower approach for the smoke testing, which consists of placing one blower on the upstream manhole and one on the downstream manhole of a sewer segment and blowing nontoxic smoke into it.  Findings from the smoke testing, including pictures of the located defects, were linked with West Des Moines’ GIS.

RJN’s analysis of the findings with recommendations for further investigation and rehabilitation will be submitted as a report to the City.  The smoke testing will serve as the initial establishment of a multiyear sewer improvement program.

RJN provides civil engineering consulting services for clients and their facilities.  The firm’s offerings include the study, design, and construction management of wastewater, water, stormwater, roadway, buildings and bridge infrastructures.