Sewer in Cemetery
Sewer in Cemetery
(OP)
I swear this is a real question and not an elaborate PR hoax for the latest Evil Dead movie...
I'm trying to find guidelines for clearances between sanitary sewers (gravity or forced) and graves. The sewer would run parallel to the graves.
I've been scouring state regs, but I'm drawing a blank.
Anyone?
Thanks.
I'm trying to find guidelines for clearances between sanitary sewers (gravity or forced) and graves. The sewer would run parallel to the graves.
I've been scouring state regs, but I'm drawing a blank.
Anyone?
Thanks.





RE: Sewer in Cemetery
good luck
RE: Sewer in Cemetery
No matter what offset you choose, the owner of the cemetery should be informed.
The gravesites can't be disturbed, obviously. The gravesites assume a 6-ft depth. Applying an (excavation) safely slope of 1.5 H:1V from the bottom of excavation to existing grade yields a 9-ft offset. I think this is a safe 'envelope'...and won't offend neither the living nor the dead...
RE: Sewer in Cemetery
Regardless of careful planning, remains from a few unmarked graves dropped into the trench from the sides during excavation. (This was a rather old cemetary where I understand it is not uncommon to have some unmarked graves)
RE: Sewer in Cemetery
RE: Sewer in Cemetery
Unmarked graves can be located in advance; any suspicion of such should be investigated by an archeologist. You'll probably get a hit on your State clearance databases when you apply for a permit anyway. My firm has done unmarked grave recovery using GPR and other techniques for a number of State DOTs. Nothing spells bad PR than what TerryScan described.
RE: Sewer in Cemetery
As others point out, you should have an easement that will allow maintenance using construction equipment in the future.
The force main option will take up less space. You can dig closer to the smaller diameter force main without risk of collapsing the pipe. Minimum clearance for excavation to the buried force main is estimated at 6". Minimum clearance for excavation to a sewer is estimated at 24"
RE: Sewer in Cemetery
Charles Addams (originator of the Addams Family) had a cartoon where a workman digging a very long trench in a cemetary is saying to a passerby on the adjacent sidewalk, "Goodness, no, it's for a new water main!"
"...students of traffic are beginning to realize the false economy of mechanically controlled traffic, and hand work by trained officers will again prevail." - Wm. Phelps Eno, ca. 1928
"I'm searching for the questions, so my answers will make sense." - Stephen Brust
RE: Sewer in Cemetery