A recent sewer camera probe from the city of Port Townsend has indicated its downtown sewer lines could be in jeopardy.

Following December 2022’s sewer main break at Gaines and Water streets that caused sinkholes and sewage overflow in the area, alarm bells have been raised by city staff for the vital infrastructure.

Bothell-based engineering firm RH2 Engineering was hired by the city in February to use a camera probe to inspect a downtown portion of the sewer piping, and the results could be cause for concern.

“We had difficulty video inspecting the main because it was full of sediment indicating that we are getting soil intrusion,” said Steve King, the city’s public works director.

Currently, the pipe is in such rough condition that city staff are concerned that running cleaning equipment through it could cause a collapse, King added.

The sewer portions probed by RH2 engineering — from the ferry terminal to Gaines Street — showed severe deterioration, King added.

While further camera probes around the town’s sewer system would give staff a better idea of how serious the situation is, city staff are concerned that the probes could cause more harm.

“We are at a decision point of whether we do continued inspections and risk pipe collapse, or plan for the ultimate required fix,” King said.

King and city staff are planning to present further details, including probe pictures, at an upcoming city council meeting, likely in early May.

“We hope to have cost estimates for what the repairs will cost and some options,” King said.

Beyond cost, the city’s biggest concern is the impacts on Highway 20 approaching the ferry terminal if the pipe needs to be replaced with a new one, he said.

“We are looking at rehabilitation options to possibly reduce these impacts,” he added.

The portion of the sewer main that collapsed in December was built in the 1960s and had been heavily deteriorated by hydrogen sulfide gas, which is commonly referred to as sewer gas.