NEWS RELEASE

March 22, 2007

OWASA is resuming the annual inspection, mowing, trimming and other clearing in public sewer easements.

Most of OWASA’s easements are 30 feet wide, but usually about 20 feet of the easement width is cleared (about 10 feet on each side of a sewer main).

The easement clearing work is intended to:

• prevent roots from entering cracks and joints in sewers. When roots grow into a sewer, they can block the flow of wastewater and cause it to overflow from a manhole. Preventing and minimizing wastewater overflows is one of OWASA’s highest priorities.
• ensure safe access for inspections, maintenance and repair work, including emergency responses to wastewater overflows when needed.

The clearing work begins west of Carrboro, and will progress through Carrboro and Chapel Hill in coming months. OWASA plans to mow all of its sewer easements at least once in 2007.

Any customer with questions or comments about the easement clearing work is invited to contact Thurman Green, OWASA’s Manager of the Collection and Distribution Systems, at 537-4224 or by sending e-mail to tgreen@owasa.org.

A brochure with more detailed information about sewer easements will be mailed on request to any customer and is available on the OWASA Website at http://www.owasa.org/pages/sewereasements.htm.

In particular, customers are encouraged to contact OWASA if they have trees, shrubs, fencing, structures, etc. that may need to be relocated from an easement.  

Some plantings, such as shallow-rooted trees and shrubs, are normally allowed in the outer part of an easement with OWASA’s approval of a planting plan.

Background information

What is an OWASA easement?

An OWASA easement is a defined area, normally across private property, in which OWASA has the right to

• keep clear access.
  
• do maintenance, repairs, inspections, improvements and renovations.
  
• install water or sewer pipes, manholes and related items.

The location of an easement is normally recorded in the County Registry of Deeds with a surveyor's document that shows the boundary of the easement.  Property owners are encouraged to check their land acquisition records to see whether and where their property may include utility easements.

How wide is a sewer easement?

OWASA's sewer easements are normally 30 feet wide. In many but not all cases, an easement goes along the rear or side boundary of two properties so that two adjacent lots have an easement area 15 feet wide. Sewer pipes and manholes are usually in the approximate center of an easement.

Where are most sewers and easements located?

Most public sewer lines are installed in easements outside of street right-of-way. Because most sewers use the natural force of gravity for wastewater flow, the sewers have a downhill slope and they are therefore often in low areas such as ravines and along creeks.

Most public water lines are in street right-of-way rather than in easements across private property. However, some water mains are in off-street easements, which OWASA also keeps clear.

For more information:

Thurman Green, Collection and Distribution Systems Manager, 537-4224; e-mail: tgreen@owasa.org

Randy Horton, Assistant Manager of Collection and Distribution Systems, 537-4280; e-mail: rhorton@owasa.org

John Greene, General Manager of Operations, 537-4218; e-mail: jgreene@owasa.org