4 ms·

I’m not sure above-ground pipes makes a lot of sense. Now every building has to maintain a pump to get sewage high enough off the ground that vehicles can pass

I’m not sure above-ground pipes makes a lot of sense. Now every building has to maintain a pump to get sewage high enough off the ground that vehicles can pass under the pipes. And if those pumps fail (e.g. power outage), all of a sudden everyone is dealing with sewage backflow. Something I’d like to see more of is utility tunnels where all utilities are undergrounded in a single tunnel with with easy access. Yes it’s expensive, but could work out in the long run. Just look at how much utility relocation can drive up the cost for simple projects like BRT.

saalweachter 5y ago
Let's not forget that the standard place to put water and sewage pipes is "below the frost line".
xwdv 5y ago
How do pipes work when terrain isn’t leveled but rather very sloped?
- PicassoCTs 5y ago
  Sewage pumps in the pipes and https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hebeanlage https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hebeanlage (sorry do not know the english word for that) Synthetic fibres in tissues are a huge issues for these pumps..
  - GravitasFailure 5y ago
    Lift station or pump station, I believe. https://htt.io/resources/lift-station-basics/ https://htt.io/resources/lift-station-basics/
clipradiowallet 5y ago
> And if those pumps fail (e.g. power outage), all of a sudden everyone is dealing with sewage backflow. While disgusting...this would have the side effect of those being repaired very quickly I imagine.
- jdavis703 5y ago
  I suppose it depends on the state. If you’re in Texas or California good luck.
  - satellite2 5y ago
    https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hedonic_treadmill https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hedonic_treadmill
NoSorryCannot 5y ago
You don't necessarily even have to tunnel, like one would do with a borer. I think that would be cost-prohibitive. Trench and cover, probably with streets. But it would create a lot of extra void to maintain that would need its own drainage, maintenance to keep it free of debris and pests, inspections to make sure they don't collapse, and security to keep people out. Feasibility is probably commensurate with urban density.
- bobthepanda 5y ago
  There's also the issue of where you would put all the spoils from tunneling. Historically that was in the ocean and rivers to make more land, but this is frowned upon for a variety of reasons now, the least being that not all types of soil work well as landfill.
athenot 5y ago
> Something I’d like to see more of is utility tunnels where all utilities are undergrounded in a single tunnel with with easy access. You've just described the Paris sewer system, where the sewage tunels also house fresh water, power, comms… https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/proxy/wRHK1kkKpNBXt4WWuCQWRcew5p-STfxcMVbExrl9ezq6jm-wB7rJDLLKVLKpx3yILlphCLG_-0RjX_4UTt6UWfk7K8mWIkKa0NBq0CFMZE_z https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/proxy/wRHK1kkKpNBXt4WWuCQW...

saalweachter 5y ago

Let's not forget that the standard place to put water and sewage pipes is "below the frost line".

xwdv 5y ago

How do pipes work when terrain isn’t leveled but rather very sloped?

PicassoCTs 5y ago
Sewage pumps in the pipes and https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hebeanlage https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hebeanlage (sorry do not know the english word for that) Synthetic fibres in tissues are a huge issues for these pumps..
- GravitasFailure 5y ago
  Lift station or pump station, I believe. https://htt.io/resources/lift-station-basics/ https://htt.io/resources/lift-station-basics/

clipradiowallet 5y ago

> And if those pumps fail (e.g. power outage), all of a sudden everyone is dealing with sewage backflow. While disgusting...this would have the side effect of those being repaired very quickly I imagine.

jdavis703 5y ago
I suppose it depends on the state. If you’re in Texas or California good luck.
- satellite2 5y ago
  https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hedonic_treadmill https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hedonic_treadmill

NoSorryCannot 5y ago

You don't necessarily even have to tunnel, like one would do with a borer. I think that would be cost-prohibitive. Trench and cover, probably with streets. But it would create a lot of extra void to maintain that would need its own drainage, maintenance to keep it free of debris and pests, inspections to make sure they don't collapse, and security to keep people out. Feasibility is probably commensurate with urban density.

bobthepanda 5y ago
There's also the issue of where you would put all the spoils from tunneling. Historically that was in the ocean and rivers to make more land, but this is frowned upon for a variety of reasons now, the least being that not all types of soil work well as landfill.

athenot 5y ago

> Something I’d like to see more of is utility tunnels where all utilities are undergrounded in a single tunnel with with easy access. You've just described the Paris sewer system, where the sewage tunels also house fresh water, power, comms… https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/proxy/wRHK1kkKpNBXt4WWuCQWRcew5p-STfxcMVbExrl9ezq6jm-wB7rJDLLKVLKpx3yILlphCLG_-0RjX_4UTt6UWfk7K8mWIkKa0NBq0CFMZE_z https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/proxy/wRHK1kkKpNBXt4WWuCQW...