The easement machine (pictured above) is helping the WCRSA team address the challenges. It connects to the combined sewer cleaning truck to reach areas that the larger vehicle cannot access.
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Given all of these changes, the Board of Commissioners considered changing the way the Collections Department would be run. The department is responsible for cleaning, TV inspection and main line maintenance and repair, main and vent valve maintenance, right-of-way maintenance, pump station and sewage treatment plant cleaning, SSES studies and system mapping.
The majority of TV inspection and cleaning was carried out by external contractors, with the in-house team carrying out cleaning on site and addressing problem areas as required. The board called for a comprehensive investigation into the annual cost and volume of pipes cleaned by contractors. After comparing the numbers with the costs of hiring staff and purchasing equipment, the agency concluded that it would be more cost-effective to take this function in-house.
“With contractors, we averaged 25-35 miles of line per year at an average cost of $700,000. In the first year, one would expect to be in the red given equipment purchases, salaries, benefits, etc. “But in the second year, if the program was successful, the department would see an estimated savings of $300,000 to $400,000 per year by bringing the work in-house,” said Sammie Barnett, the authority’s TV and cleaning manager.
At the same time that the agency was transitioning from outside contractors to in-house TV inspection and cleaning services, it was experiencing sewage overflows and strict EPA regulations and was issuing a voluntary Management Operation and Maintenance (MOM) audit report. Sewage systems. The report provided valuable information on how the agency could ensure the system reached its maximum efficiency.
Agency officials also reviewed their field forms and physical inspection books. This process and the MOM report helped ensure the department took a proactive approach to maintenance. By adopting a proactive rather than reactive mode in expanding and modernizing the area, officials believed they could keep pace with increased capacity demands.
The MOM report outlined a cleaning and TV inspection program to be carried out over a period of 10 years. The report divided the system into plants and basins with a total pipeline length of 350 miles. The goal was to complete 35 miles of mainline per year so that by the end of the term, 100 percent of the system would be inspected and cleaned. The process would then begin again.
“Our primary goal in this proactive approach was to inspect and clean the collection system, identify deficiencies and develop remediation strategies,” Barnett said. “To treat wastewater, you have to bring it to the plant. This process involves going into each pipe and inspecting it for structural integrity, capacity issues, leaks and blockages.”
“For example, you inspect a manhole or pipe that you know was built in 1996, but since then a contractor has connected a utility line and neglected to grout the connection, and now groundwater is high and leaking all around tap the supply line water out,” he said. “With a planned cleaning and inspection program, our crew can identify issues before they become critical and escalate them to the appropriate crew or department so necessary remedial repairs can be made.”
The agency noted that there were some unusual needs. Since it is responsible for the main sewer system, most of its pipes range from 15 inches to 72 inches in diameter.
“The equipment had to meet the system requirements,” Barnett said. “What makes us unique is that unlike most municipalities, 95 percent of our sewer lines are off-street and only 5 percent are on-street. This presents significant challenges in terms of easements and access.”
Authorities employees attended trade fairs, researched most of the providers, spoke to other municipalities and took part in demonstrations. They ended up purchasing some typical and not-so-typical devices.
The agency purchased $700,000 worth of equipment, including a Vac-Con combination sewer cleaning unit, a variety of shovel machines, a Sreco easement machine, sewer scooters, a Kawasaki Mule ATV, a small dump truck, a TV inspection camera system and more more vehicle from Pearpoint, Flexidatatrademark pipe survey report software and a 4×4 truck with Double cab equipped with an extensive range of tools and safety equipment.
Some of the equipment was out of stock; For example, the agency's vacuum system has a 16-yard debris tank with an 80-gpm, 3,000-psi pump, an extended boom, and additional hoses for things other than sewer lines – like wastewater treatment plant cleanup projects.
“We also have a six-person pump station team (three electricians, three mechanics) who operate and maintain the pump stations. The TV & Clean team performs wet well cleaning, debris removal, and various types of treatment plant projects. If it's out there, “At some point we cleaned it up,” Barnett said.
Due to the nature of the region, the authority's TV inspection camera system and van had to meet some strict criteria.
“We needed something that could easily convert from a 6-inch to a 96-inch pipe, and the tractor needed to be able to withstand extremely strong currents and debris,” Barnett said.
The van has four-wheel drive, a front-mounted winch and is equipped with towbars.
“We don’t shy away from dirt and mud, it’s just the nature of our terrain and the system,” Barnett said.
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