Borough's sewers to go high tech

STANHOPE n It may not be one of the most glamorous jobs in the municipality, but someone has to do it. Stanhope, one of the few towns in Sussex County with a municipal sewer system, is enlisting some high-tech toys to help in monitoring sewage. At its meeting on July 26, the borough council awarded a contract for $74,000 to Timmerman Equipment Company to cover the cost of a television inspection camera system. The sewer video camera system will be used by the borough's Department of Public Works to detect leaks, blockages, or infiltration in the system's infrastructure, as well as comply with new regulations by the Environmental Protection Agency regarding storm water management and preventative maintenance. The new inspection system is comprised of two specialized cameras that will allow road department officials to inspect all areas of the sewer infrastructure. One of the new pieces of equipment is a robot-like "crawler camera." The device is deployed through the manholes and travels through the system sending back pictures of the infrastructure. A second hand-held camera that can take a picture up to 300 feet away will be used to inspect the pipes for plug-ups and manhole identification, without a worker having to enter the system. "We have a need for it. We find that this is the most economical way to service the system," said Councilman James Benson. Stanhope is a member of the Musconetcong Sewage Authority. The authority, was created in 1968 to provide sewage treatment for the boroughs of Stanhope and Netcong.