Houston Infiltration Abatement Program

The City of Houston, Texas, has embarked upon a program of infiltration abatement that provides for an orderly approach to the conception, development, and implementation of a plan to eliminate much of the infiltration into their waste collection system. The plan delineates three interlocking functional phases, i.e., a pilot program, an initial implementation program, and a continuing implementation program. Major items of work include flow measurement of both dry-weather and wet-weather flows, smoke testing, television inspection, and methods of line repair. Work completed thus far indicates that it is unfeasible to completely eliminate infiltration in an existing collection system. Therefore, infiltration and its prevention should be considered by relative amounts, or on a cost effective basis.