Candy Cane Vents

The metal pipes that are shaped like candy canes are vents for the sanitary sewer.

Sanitary sewers need to be vented so that they will flow properly and so sewer gases, mostly methane, do not build up. As sewage enters the system, air must escape or the pipes would pressurize. Flow could be reduced and sewer gas be forced past the traps and into homes. Methane is a product of decomposition and is deadly if too concentrated. It presents no problems if vented to the air slowly and allowed to dissipate.

Normally, sanitary sewers vent through holes on their lids, which are also used to open them. However, in flood hazard areas these holes would allow floodwater into the sanitary sewer. This could overwhelm the sewer system resulting in too much water at the treatment plant or in surcharging. Surcharging happens when there is so much water in a pipe that it comes up out a manhole wherever it can.


Somerset County Park
From this point to Chimney Rock Township Park the trail is on property owned on each side by Somerset County. The County has a parking lot and emergency phone located on Newman’s lane. The County property includes the Washington Valley Reservoir, which belonged formerly to Elizabethtown Water Company and before that to the Bound Brook Water Company.