Exciting enhancements are coming soon to eCode360! Learn more 🡪
Borough of Dallastown, PA
York County
By using eCode360 you agree to be legally bound by the Terms of Use. If you do not agree to the Terms of Use, please do not use eCode360.
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Code
New Laws (0) Index
A. 
Description.
(1) 
The work of this article includes, but is not limited to:
(a) 
Testing gravity sewer pipelines:
[1] 
Lamping.
[2] 
Low-pressure air test.
[3] 
Infiltration test.
[4] 
Deflection test; PVC pipe only.
(b) 
Testing pressure pipelines: hydrostatic leakage test.
(c) 
Testing manholes: vacuum test.
(2) 
Related work specified elsewhere.
(a) 
Manholes: Article XV.
(b) 
Sanitary sewer pipe: Article XVII.
(3) 
Definitions: none.
(4) 
Applicable Standard Details: none.
B. 
Quality assurance.
(1) 
Test acceptance.
(a) 
No test will be accepted until the results are within the specified limits.
(b) 
The contractor shall, at his own expense, determine and correct the causes of test failure and retest until successful test results are achieved.
C. 
Submittals.
(1) 
Testing procedures.
(2) 
List of test equipment.
(3) 
Testing sequence schedule.
(4) 
Provisions for disposal of flushing and test water.
(5) 
Certificate of test gauge calibration.
D. 
Job conditions.
(1) 
Do not allow personnel in manholes during pressure and vacuum testing.
(2) 
Provide relief valves set at 10 psig to avoid accidentally over pressurizing gravity sewer line during low-pressure air testing.
A. 
Air test equipment.
(1) 
Air compressor.
(2) 
Air supply line.
(3) 
Shut-off valve.
(4) 
Pressure regulator.
(5) 
Pressure relief valve.
(6) 
Stop watch.
(7) 
Plugs.
(8) 
Pressure gauge, calibrated to 0.1 pounds/square inch.
B. 
Infiltration test equipment: weirs.
C. 
Deflection test equipment.
(1) 
Go, no-go mandrels, furnished by the municipality (or Red Lion Municipal Authority).
(2) 
Pull/retrieval ropes.
D. 
Vacuum test equipment.
(1) 
Vacuum pump.
(2) 
Pipe plugs.
(3) 
Vacuum hose.
(4) 
Test connections.
(5) 
Vacuum gauge.
(6) 
Vacuum relief valve.
E. 
Nonshrink grout: fastsetting, cement-based mortar such as Waterplug, manufactured by Thoro Division of ChemBex, Shakopee, MN, or approved equal.
A. 
Preparation.
(1) 
Backfill trenches in accordance with Article VII.
(2) 
Provide pressure pipeline with concrete reaction support blocking.
(3) 
Clean and flush pipeline with water to remove debris. Collect and dispose of flushing water and debris in accordance with federal, state and local regulations.
(4) 
Plug outlets, wye-branches and laterals. Brace plugs to offset thrust.
B. 
Testing gravity sewer pipelines.
(1) 
Lamping.
(a) 
After flushing and cleaning, lamp gravity pipeline in conjunction with the municipality.
(b) 
Assist the municipality in the lamping operation by shining a light at one end of each pipeline section between manholes. The municipality will observe the light at the other end. Pipeline that has not been installed with uniform line and grade will be rejected. Remove and relay rejected pipeline sections. Reclean and lamp until pipeline section achieves a uniform line and grade.
(2) 
Low pressure air test.
(a) 
Test each newly installed section of gravity sewer line, including service connections.
(b) 
Slowly introduce air pressure to approximately 4.0 psig. If groundwater is present, determine its elevation above the springline of the pipe by means of a piezometric tube. For every foot of groundwater above the springline of the pipe, increase the starting air-test-pressure reading by 0.5 psig. Do not increase pressure above 10 psig.
(c) 
Allow pressure to stabilize for at least five minutes. Adjust pressure to 3.5 psig or the increased test pressure as determined above if groundwater is present. Start the test.
(d) 
Test.
[1] 
Determine the test duration for a sewer section with a single pipe size from the table below:
Air Test Table
Minimum Holding Time in Seconds Required for Pressure to Drop From 3.5 PSIG to 2.5 PSIG
Pipe Diameter
Length Feet
4 inches
6 inches
8 inches
10 inches
12 inches
25
4
10
18
29
40
50
9
20
35
35
79
75
13
30
53
83
119
100
18
40
70
110
158
125
22
50
88
138
198
150
26
59
10
165
236
175
31
69
123
193
277
200
35
79
141
220
317
225
40
89
158
248
340
250
44
99
176
275
340
275
48
109
194
283
340
300
53
119
211
283
340
350
62
139
227
283
340
400
70
158
227
283
340
450
79
170
227
283
340
500
88
170
227
283
340
550
97
170
227
283
340
600
106
170
227
283
340
650
113
170
227
283
340
[2] 
Record the drop in pressure during the test period. If the air pressure has dropped more than 1.0 psig during the test period, the line is presumed to have failed. If the 1.0 psig air-pressure drop has not occurred during the test period, the test shall be discontinued and the line will be accepted.
[3] 
If the line fails, determine the source of the air leakage, make corrections and retest the entire section between manholes.
[4] 
All laterals installed into manholes shall be air tested. Regardless of pipe length, the minimum test times for four-inch diameter, six-inch diameter, and eight-inch diameter pipes are 2 1/2, four and five minutes, respectively.
(3) 
Testing pipe over thirty-six-inch diameter. Pipe over thirty-six-inch diameter shall be subjected to a visual interior inspection.
(4) 
Infiltration test.
(a) 
Leakage into the sewer shall not exceed 200 gallons per inch pipe diameter per mile of pipe per 24 hours.
(b) 
Tests shall be conducted at the discretion of the municipality.
(5) 
Deflection testing of plastic sewer pipe.
(a) 
Perform vertical ring deflection testing on all portions of PVC sewer piping, in the presence of the municipality, after backfilling.
(b) 
The maximum allowable deflection for installed plastic sewer pipe shall be limited to 5% of the original vertical internal diameter.
(c) 
Perform deflection testing with a properly sized go, no-go mandrel provided by the municipality.
(d) 
Pipe exceeding the allowable deflection shall be located, excavated, replaced, and retested at the sole expense of the contractor, including surface restoration.
(e) 
During the 12th month of the warranty period, perform a second vertical ring deflection test on all portions of PVC sewer piping, in the presence of the municipality, including preparation in accordance with Subsection A.
C. 
Testing pressure pipelines. Ductile iron force mains shall be subjected to a hydrostatic test of 50 psi in excess of what the maximum static pressure will be when force main is in operation. Test shall continue until the municipality inspector has approved all joints at this pressure.
D. 
Testing manholes.
(1) 
Test all new manholes for exfiltration utilizing the vacuum test method and equipment developed by NPC Systems, Inc., Milford, NIH, or approved equal.
(2) 
Provide the necessary labor, equipment or materials to conduct the vacuum test.
(3) 
The testing shall be done after complete assembly of the manhole.
(4) 
Plug the pipe openings, taking care to securely brace the plugs and the pipe.
(5) 
With the vacuum tester set in place:
(a) 
Inflate the compression band to effect a seal between the vacuum base and the structure.
(b) 
Connect the vacuum pump to the outlet port with the valve open.
(c) 
Draw a vacuum to 10 inches of Hg. and close the valve.
(6) 
A vacuum of nine inches of Hg. or more shall be maintained for at least the period of time indicated in the following table in order to successfully complete the test:
Time
(seconds)
Depth of Manhole
(feet)
Diameter of Manhole
(inches)
48 inches
60 inches
72 inches
Up to 10
30
30
30
12
30
30
34
14
30
32
40
16
30
37
45
18
32
41
51
20
35
46
57
22
39
51
62
24
42
55
68
26
46
60
74
28
49
64
80
30
53
69
85
(7) 
If the manhole fails the initial test, the contractor shall locate the leak and make proper repairs. Leaks and lift holes shall be filled with approved nonshrink grout.