Unknown Pipes Delay Jenkins Avenue Sewer Project

What lies beneath the roads of Lansdale Borough is a mystery of sorts.
For instance, consider what construction workers discovered near the intersection of Broad Street and Jenkins Avenue during a recent sewer reconstruction project—two pipes of unknown origin and ownership.
"It's pretty interesting," said Public Works Committee Chairman Steve Malagari at last week's committee meeting. "Workers dug into a large pit and found a lot of old infrastructure."
Utilities Director Jake Ziegler said workers were attempting to make a new manhole connection on Broad Street when they came across the pipe.
"As they excavated the area, it became apparent a couple of feet down, that there was a six-inch main of some type of metal pipe adjacent to an active gas line," Ziegler said. "Under that pipe, is an unknown terra cotta pipe."
Ziegler said nobody wanted to take the chance and cut the pipe.
"Nobody wants to cut into the unknown main," Ziegler said. "The gas company said it might be theirs. I wasn't going to cut it."
Ziegler said some field engineering had to be done immediately to reconfigure the manhole connection. Instead of a 45-degree-angle connection from Jenkins Avenue to Broad Street, the new plan is to make a 90-degree connection to a new manhole.
"We may put a new manhole up on Broad Street and connect between the two manholes. It has to be worked out as to how it can be accomplished," Ziegler said. "It would be additional work for the contractor. We may have to ask for additional funds."
The plan also includes going under the existing pipes and connecting an existing 21-inch pipe to a temporary 15-inch pipe for the time being. Eventually, the entire pipe system would be 21 inches in diameter.
"The contractor will continue work down Jenkins Avenue. They will stop work and make a temporary connection permanent, and that will be when they come to the next manhole," Ziegler said.