Students collect sewer system data
CRANBERRY TWP — Two college students are getting an education this summer while collecting information on the township's sewer system.
Rhonda Zellhart, a pretreatment coordinator in Cranberry's sewer department, said the two students — Blaise McCarty and Kyle Oswald — already have accumulated data on more than 500 of the township's 5,100 manholes. They are collecting an assortment of data on the manholes, including mapping them with a GPS system.
The information will allow the sewer department to map the system.
It also will be used to help prioritize sewer repair work, while the industrial pretreatment department will use it in its inflow and infiltration program.
Zellhart said the students measure the depth of each manhole they encounter, and then take samples and do basic evaluations. They are not permitted to climb into the sewer system, although their findings can sometimes prompt more experienced personnel to go in and fix a problem.
“This is a really great way to capture a huge amount of information in the township in a small period of time,” Zellhart said.
She said that the data the students collect allows them to skip some manholes. She said the goal of the project isn't to hit each manhole.
McCarty and Oswald are learning skills that will translate well to many careers they may choose to pursue after college.
McCarty is a sophomore at Penn State and Oswald is a sophomore at the University of Pittsburgh. McCarty lives in Beaver County while Oswald is from Butler.
“This is a great opportunity for them to work with our crews and to learn some core values of the township,” she said.
Township Manager Jerry Andre said he's glad the students are gaining valuable experience, but said he's also happy that the sewer system is getting frequent checkups and inspections.
Aging infrastructure can cost taxpayers a lot of money if they're in need of repair, and these fresh eyes help locate points of concern before they become bigger problems.
“We never want to be in a position where we've ignored our infrastructure,” he said. “The cost associated with doing so will always come back to get you. Our board has been very diligent on those efforts.”
