Construction of "Kerrigan" Combined Sewer in Nashville, Tennessee. Built circa 1900, it started at 30 inches and ended at the regulator with a diameter of 18 feet.

Source: Vernon (Wes) Frye, PE; Special Projects Manager, Metro Water Services, Nashville, Tennessee.

Photos of the Lick Springs and the Wilson Springs Branches of a major in-service brick and stone combined sewer system in Nashville, TN. Overall, it is over 2.5 miles in length. The brick segments of the sewer range from 16 foot diameter down to 36 inch diameter at its terminal upstream end, which is located underneath the Vanderbilt University Football Stadium.

In the 1820s, cobblestone bridges (two – at the Market Street and Cherry Street crossings) were built across local creeks to facilitate people and horse/wagon traffic. The bridges included stone culverts and sewers to provide for creek and storm flows. In the 1870s, the involved reaches of creeks were filled in to provide additional space for new buildings and streets. As that was done, a brick sewer (ranging from 16 foot diameter, with brick walls 7 courses thick at the downstream end; to 3 foot diameter, with walls 3 courses thick, at the upstream terminal end, now positioned under the Vanderbilt University’s Football Stadium) was laid, incorporating the stone sewer segments through/under the two bridges, to handle the creek and storm water flows. At the beginning, the system was a storm sewer; later, it became a combined sewer and has remained that way since. The system is still in service and a vital component of Nashville’s overall sewerage system.

The original bridge structures (including the stone sewer segments through and beneath the bridges) and the associated brick sewer segments of the system are now under 35 feet of earth fill.

Design/construction note: As the brick sewer was constructed upstream, at each downward change in diameter, the thickness of the brick pipe wall was reduced by one course of brick. For example, the 16 foot diameter brick sewers walls are 7 courses thick and, at the upstream end of the system, the 36 inch brick sewer’s wall is 3 courses thick.

Source: Provided courtesy of Ronnie Russell, Assistant Manager of Systems Services for Metro Water Services, City of Nashville, Nashville, TN.