The Village of Thiensville recently tackled a challenging infrastructure issue: persistent sewer backups affecting a neighborhood during heavy rain events. With aging sewer lines, groundwater infiltration was suspected as the root cause. While the Village had previously reinforced aging sanitary mains with Cured-In-Place Pipe (CIPP) lining to prevent water intrusion, the lateral pipes serving individual homes had not yet been addressed.
In partnership with the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District (MMSD), the Village and Ruekert & Mielke joined forces to rehabilitate these laterals through MMSD’s Private Property Inflow and Infiltration Reduction (PP/II) program. This initiative provided a lateral replacement for 15 affected homes, addressing sewer backups at no cost to homeowners.
The team opted for pipe bursting over conventional open-cut methods to reduce disruption and control costs. This technique required minimal excavation, with only a small access pit at each lateral end. Pipe bursting allowed for a complete replacement from inside the home’s basement to the street’s main sanitary connection, significantly minimizing the impact on residents’ properties. In some cases, minor open-cut excavation was used to adjust slopes, ensuring the new laterals functioned smoothly and avoided future issues.
Given that the sanitary main had been previously lined, the project required an innovative solution to connect the new laterals. LMK Technologies’ Lined-Main-Tap fitting, paired with their proprietary adhesive, was selected to ensure a secure, watertight bond between the new laterals and the mainline CIPP liner without compromising the existing liner's integrity.
Upon project completion, Village staff observed a measurable improvement in sewer system performance. A nearby trouble spot showed lower water levels in the sanitary sewer during rain events, verified by a flow meter that recorded significantly reduced flow levels. Ongoing monitoring will further quantify the infiltration reduction achieved.
Most importantly, the Village’s commitment to infrastructure improvement was well received by residents. Homeowners expressed their gratitude to the Village, Ruekert & Mielke, and MMSD for the thoughtful approach and thorough execution of a project that has made a meaningful difference in their community.
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About the Author
Mike Blazejovsky
Project Manager
Mike has extensive experience managing a wide variety of projects including sanitary and storm sewer inspection, sewer condition analysis, sewer main and lateral rehabilitation, chemical grouting, manhole rehabilitation, sanitary and storm sewer design, sanitary sewer inflow and infiltration studies, cost estimating, and quantity take-offs. Mike also has unique field experience with hands-on installation of sewer, water, and storm utilities as well as design, permitting, and installation of Private On-site Wastewater Treatment Systems (POWTS) in the State of Wisconsin.