The Waterworks Department repaired breaks as they occurred, plotting their histories on maps and looking for clusters that warranted further investigation.

“This is a growing community with a fairly young infrastructure,” says superintendent Ed Mitchell. “Except for 42 miles of asbestos cement and cast iron pipes with some ductile iron, we’re in good condition. Our main driver in investigation and replacement was trying to determine a pipe’s remaining useful life.”

Occasionally, the district sent sections of pipe to a laboratory for destructive analysis — expensive but more affordable than replacing lines prematurely. Mitchell looked for a more economical, non-destructive way to assess the system and set priorities for pipe replacement.

He found Echologics, a developer of advanced acoustic-based technologies for leak detection and pipe condition assessment. In 2007, the district hired the company to survey 21 locations on 3.5 miles of pipe spread throughout the system. Technicians returned the following year to survey 30 locations across five miles of the system.

Drawing attention

The district distributes a billion gallons of water per year to 69,000 residents. It has 240 miles of pipes, 18,000 service connections, seven pump stations, and six reservoirs. Pipes prone to breaking comprise 18 percent of the system, with velocities below 3 feet per second and pressures around 80 psi.

For each survey, Mitchell chose lines with some failures. “Even if it was one or two breaks, we wanted the assessment information added to the history we had on that line,” he says. “We were happy with the results. Last year, we reprioritized our replacement list, hiring Echologics to assess 13 locations on 1.25 miles of pipe.”

The length of each analysis depended on access to the line. Working 300 and 650 feet between valves produced the best results. Technicians substituted fire hydrant valves if inline valves were unavailable. The longest runs were close to 1,300 feet.

“We provided a spreadsheet for the technicians with the length, diameter, material, and pipe class, and ensured that they had easy access to the valves,” says Mitchell. “They usually wheeled off the section to be analyzed to get a more accurate measurement of pipe length. We also sent a water operator to help with traffic control when the valves were in intersections. That’s all we did to prepare for an evaluation.”

Riding the wave

The basic LeakFinderRT system includes two high-frequency sensors, two wireless transmitters, a two-channel wireless receiver, headphones, battery charger and USB cable. The technology works by measuring how quickly acoustic signals travel along a length of pipe.

A technician first lowers a sensor onto a valve inside the valve chamber. A cable attaches the sensor to a white radio transmitter. Another technician repeats the process downstream with a sensor connected to a blue radio transmitter. The correlator connects the transmitters.

To listen for leaks, the technicians bleed a little water from a fire hydrant to introduce a vibration in the pipe. To check its structural thickness, they hammer against a hydrant outside the area spanned by the two sensors, then measure the sound velocity.

The correlator, connected to a laptop computer, calculates the acoustic velocity based on the sensor spacing and the time delay between the measured signals, then calculates the average wall thickness. “As the pipe loses material from corrosion, acoustic waves travel slower,” says Mitchell.

Spikes displayed in the software interface mark the locations of leaks or weakened sections. To double-check the position, a technician wheels off the distance, takes the GPS coordinates, and photographs the spot so repair crews know exactly where to excavate. The team assesses five to 10 locations per day.

Information drives action

The 2007 condition report listed the average, maximum and minimum wall thicknesses. The worst section showed 70 percent deterioration with a nominal thickness of 1/2 inch and a measured thickness of 1/8 inch.

“We did more research on anything deteriorated beyond 45 percent or added them to our replacement list,” says Mitchell.

Additional research included checking soil conditions for metallic pipe settings.

“Our soils vary from mildly acidic to highly corrosive,” says Mitchell. “If we have pipe breaks in highly corrosive conditions and the assessment concludes some level of deterioration, we may do a destructive analysis on a pipe sample.

“Combining destructive analysis with acoustic assessment gives us a sound idea of when to replace the pipe and fully justifies funding for the project.”

Mitchell’s efforts to replace the right pipe at the right time helped reduce breaks. By 2010, there were six breaks. In 2011, there were two on the entire distribution system.

“If the main fails, we couldn’t bypass pump fast enough to handle the flow,” says senior environmental safety specialist Cheryl Townsend-Braun. “We’d have large-scale environmental contamination through a residentially congested corridor.”

District officials wanted a condition assessment on the main to make sure it would hold up until they could build the new Great Miami Wastewater Treatment Plant and gravity sewers and eliminate the Pleasant Run Central pump station. The assessment also would estimate how soon a catastrophic failure might occur.

Malcolm Pirnie, the Water Division of ARCADIS, won the bid. Subcontractor InfraMetrix used broadband electromagnetic (BEM) scans at nine locations. The worst section of pipe had a minimum wall thickness of 0.162 inch, maximum wall thickness of 0.210 inch, and an average wall thickness of 0.186 inch. Shop drawings of the 24-inch spiral-welded steel force main stated that the original wall thickness was 0.25 inch.

A sensitivity analysis by Pirnie/ARCADIS estimated its remaining useful life was four years.

“We’ll open-cut and replace the 450-foot section this year because there is nothing we can do to lower the consequence of that force main failing,” says Townsend-Braun.

Likely candidates

To choose the nine survey locations, subcontractor Pure Technologies launched the Sahara ultrasonic probe from manhole to manhole. The hydrophone identified air pockets, bends, leaks, and sediment. At the same time, an acoustic pipe wall assessment hydrophone measured hoop stiffness and located anomalies.

“Concerns about internal corrosion downstream of 45-degree bends made them prime targets,” says Townsend-Braun. “We also wanted scans of sections with air pockets because hydrogen sulfide forms in them and may corrode the crown.”

InfraMetrix technicians did five 360-degree pipe scans and four Keyhole tool scans of the crown from 11 to 1 o’clock. Ground cover over the force main averaged six feet deep. City contractor Queen City Mechanical open-cut and shored the 8- to 10-foot-long by 8-foot-wide trenches along residential roads. The excavations extended 12 inches below the bottom of the pipe for access to the underside. Some pits required dewatering.

Badger Daylighting of Taylor Mill, Ky., used a Badger Hydrovac excavator to pothole 16-inch holes and expose 12 inches of the crown of the pipe for the Keyhole scans.

“We chose this technology for four locations because they were all in pavement and we wanted as little excavation and disturbance as possible,” says Townsend-Braun.

On the grid

For full scans, InfraMetrix technician Harlan Mitchell taped a 3-foot-wide sheet of paper with 2-inch square grids around the circumference of the pipe. The BEM uses eight 2-inch-square antennae in a 2-inch-wide metal bar with a port for the receiver cable connected to a laptop computer.

With the bar positioned on one section of the grid, InfraMetrix field supervisor David Burton induced eddy currents through the antennae and pipe. The process took about five seconds. Then Mitchell moved the antennae to the next section on the grid. Signals received at the laptop gave real-time data on wall thickness. The data was maintained in a spreadsheet with x-y location for later mapping and analysis.

“We didn’t have to clean or bypass the pipe and the process can scan through coatings or linings up to two inches thick,” says Townsend-Braun. “The response of the electrical signal is based on metal thickness and composition. Once they change, the signature changes.”

Degrees of metal loss are depicted by various colors on a graph.

Step by step

With the first scan completed, Burton moved the paper over and began again, taking 1,600 to 2,400 measurements per 5-foot section of pipe. The scans were so sensitive that steel pipe welds were easily identified on the wall thickness graph.

“We expected the welded sections to be thicker than the metal on either side, but the heat and the chemical reaction of welding altered the metal composition,” says Townsend-Braun. “The pipe is thinner at the welds and has a different signature.”

Faster, less-expensive cap scans were done with the Keyhole tool, a device that conforms to the curvature of the crown and holds eight flexible antennae. A pole raises and lowers the unit and enables the technician to apply pressure so the antennae make contact with the pipe. All other principles of the BEM scan remain the same.

“We found our best section of pipe at the cap 4 scan,” says Townsend-Braun. “It had a minimum wall thickness of 0.234 inch, maximum wall thickness of 0.244 inch, and an average wall thickness of 0.238 inch.”

Two bad actors

Based on the potential for localized perforation at four years, Pirnie/ARCADIS’s sensitivity analysis recommended that the district schedule repairs for two sewer sections immediately downstream of 45-degree bends.

Townsend-Braun often contemplated what happened to the outside bend of a pipe wall when water under pressure hit the sharp curve and had to turn. “Over time, the impact had to erode the cement lining faster than the rest of the pipe,” she says. “One reason we chose scans downstream of bends was to prove that theory, and we did.”

Based on the projected failures, the district ordered 24-inch repair clamps and stocked them at two pump stations. They will pull the old force main drawings for Pleasant Run West, identify the bend locations, mark them in GIS, and plan field investigations to locate and assess critical bends.

“The Pleasant Run West Pump Station force main has had recent point failures,” says Townsend-Braun. “We may scan it to make sure a catastrophic failure doesn’t occur while we’re building the wastewater treatment plant. After that, our risk model will drive future maintenance on other force mains.”

Problem

An 84-inch brick-and-mortar interceptor, constructed in 1889, lay in the path of transportation improvements. Fearing vibrations from heavy machinery and loads from new downtown growth would collapse the pipe, the Metropolitan Council Environmental Services hired engineering firm Brown and Caldwell to assess it. They found crown cracks, sags and bulges, leaking joints, and dislodged bricks and stonework. There was no way to bypass the sewer given the time constraints.

Solution

The engineers recommended sliplining the 1,300-foot-long interceptor with centrifugally cast, fiber-reinforced, polymer-mortar pipe from HOBAS Pipe USA. Working at night in 50-foot-deep pits, Lametti and Sons from Hugo, Minn., pulled in 200 and 950 feet of 78-inch pipe and 350 feet of 72-inch pipe with a short radius curve.

To navigate the curve, HOBAS engineers designed 4-foot-long segments with special joints that the installers could open a little to ease the sections around the bend without jeopardizing the pipe’s watertight integrity. The new pipe was blocked into place and grouted using cellular concrete.

Result

Rehabilitating the interceptor was completed on schedule for $4 million. 800/856-7473; www.hobaspipe.com.

Fabricated fitting repairs rupture

Problem

Water erupting from under the parking lot adjacent to the Sawgrass Water Treatment Plant brought workers on the run from the Sunrise (Fla.) Utilities Department. Excavation of the site revealed a failed 30-inch mechanical joint restraint. Unable to close the control valve, they feared the water pressure would blow the pipe apart.

Solution

City officials contacted Smith-Blair. Two representatives made rough sketches of the failed assembly, then factory computers turned them into shop drawings. The parts for the 30-inch bell-pack encapsulation fitting were fabricated, welded together, and shipped.

Result

Factory engineers assisted in the installation. Repairs were completed in less than 10 hours with the pipe live. 800/643-9705; www.smith-blair.com.

PVC pipe expedites rehabilitation

Problem

In December 2009, the Rainbow Municipal Water District in Fallbrook, Calif., detected falling water levels in the 50-million-gallon Morro Reservoir. Crews discovered a significant leak in a 300 psi 24-inch epoxy-coated, steel transmission line. Inspecting the 2,000 feet of pipe revealed large amounts of sediment and sand where it had failed.

Solution

To achieve the required 305 psi pressure rating and higher flow needed from the carrier pipe, J.C. Heden and Associates specified DR14 16-inch fusible C-905 pressure-rated PVC pipe from Underground Solutions. Working within the 20-foot easement, Golden State Boring & Pipe Jacking cleaned the pipe, then sliplined a single 2,100-foot section in one day. They strapped four tremie lines to the pipe during pullback, then injected heavy aggregate grout to displace high groundwater and stabilize the line.

Result

After pressure testing the pipe at 355 psi for five hours, workers installed the gauges on the end caps and held the pressure at 100 psi to monitor the external forces imposed during grouting. The project passed all testing and the line was returned to service. 858/679-9551; www.undergroundsolutions.com.

The Sump and Sewage Pump Mfg. Association (SSPMA) welcomed Superior Pump of Minneapolis to its membership. Superior manufactures sump, sewage, effluent, utility and backup pumps.

The association also held its spring meeting in February in Indianapolis. The program featured four plumbing contractor representatives from the Indiana Association of Plumbing Heating Cooling Contractors. Topics included industry trends, pump distribution, training and education needs for employees and time demands for handling service calls.

CSI Controls’ representative expands territory

The 419 Group LLC expanded its CSI territory, becoming the wholesale factory representative for CSI Controls customers in North and South Carolina. The group has served as CSI’s representative in Virginia.

Draincables Direct 2012 catalog

Draincables Direct released its 2012 product catalog. In addition to drain cables, the catalog contains information on cable accessories, including blades, holders, gloves, jetter hoses and nozzles.

Researchers help predict service life of wastewater pipeline

Professor Ossama Salem, Yabroudi chair of sustainable civil infrastructures and professor of construction engineering and management at Syracuse University’s L.C. Smith College of Engineering and Computer Science, and his Ph.D. student Baris Salman developed statistical prediction models using data obtained from the Metropolitan Sewer District of Greater Cincinnati, Ohio, to generate deterioration models that will help in the decision-making process regarding future infrastructure development. The article in the American Society of Civil Engineers’ Journal of Infrastructure Systems can be found at www.ascelibrary.org/iso/resource/1/jitsxx/v1/i1/p45_s1?isAuthorized=no.

IVIS Inc. joins NORDPIPE group

IVIS Inc., Edmonton, Alberta, became the fifth installation partner for NORDPIPE, a trenchless technology for the rehabilitation of water mains. IVIS provides inspection, cleaning, rehabilitation, excavation and underground utilities locating.

Vac-Con manufactures 6,000th unit

Vac-Con Inc. manufactured its 6,000th unit, a custom built, dual-blower XX-Cavator, completed in March. The machine was built for Multi-Construction Services of Gotmley, Ontario, and is the fourth of its kind.

Footage awarded quality standard

Footage Tools Inc. was awarded the ISO 9001:2008 and AS9100 Rev C quality standard.

Open Spatial acquires Munsys product

Open Spatial completed the acquisition of the Munsys Inc. product and all associated trademarks and patents. Open Spatial of Sydney, Australia, now controls the sales and support business of Munsys in North America, Africa and Australia. Munsys in North America will trade under the Open Spatial brand.

Harris Utilities names DiMurro president

Harris Computer Systems named Rob DiMurro president of Harris Utilities, the company’s utility specialist business group. DiMurro has been a Harris executive since 1999.

Westminster, Colo., and Laurens County, S.C., have made great progress in their fight to improve local utility infrastructure, but both are still dealing with aging pipes. Many more sewer and water utilities are much further behind the curve due to limited funds for improvements. Some are just patching holes to temporarily assuage catastrophic failure.

The March issue of MSW included a column relating to a bleak report from the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) on the cost of delaying infrastructure improvements. The numbers are startling — failure to invest now could cost families $59 billion and businesses $147 billion by 2020 — and show a wide-angle view of the economic impact of failing to act on this problem. To be sure, no one is saving money over the long haul by delaying action on this growing problem. In fact, the cost of getting this country’s water and sewer infrastructure back to where it needs to be is growing by the day.

While the professionals of this industry certainly need to make their voices heard, and the burden of affecting change may ultimately fall to you, there are other groups that are just as deeply affected.

Last week I received a comment via email regarding that column in the March issue: “An excellent editorial on the biggest health threat to Americans. The part that is missing is that sewage leaks allow excessive nitrogen and phosphorous into our waterways. These excess nutrients cause toxic algal blooms which can cause skin rashes, sores, eye and ear irritation, breathing problems, gastrointestinal upset and even death (see www.floridawatercoalition.org).

“Florida is already hotter and drier than normal. The perfect combination for brewing toxic algae (SLIME). The Environmental Confederation of Southwest Florida is reaching out to community groups asking them to tell their elected officials to update their sewage collection lines and replace the leaking lines.”

Information included with the comment referred to the famous blue waters of Florida “coming up green and choked with nasty, toxic algae. It has happened in front of pricey waterfront mansions. It has happened in rural streams, where neighbors fish for food. And it has happened along famous beaches, where horrified tourists and residents watch as the waves toss up hundreds of dead fish.”

Of course, Florida isn’t alone in this mess. Failing sanitation systems are impacting water quality across the globe. A quick Google search will pull up hundreds of stories about accidental sewage discharges harming water bodies of all types and sizes.

You are most likely aware of the uphill battle municipalities are fighting, but perhaps by joining forces with other groups of concerned citizens you can make your voice loud enough that it can’t be ignored in the halls of government. A municipal utility manager from rural Ohio may not be able to tip the scales alone, but together with all municipal utility managers, with fishermen who want their waters protected, with waterfront residents who want their piece of paradise preserved for future generations, with everyone who respects our environment asking our elected leaders to make the right decision for our precious water resources rather than their next election cycle, perhaps we can impart the gravity of this situation to those who can turn the tide.

Take for example the heavily polluted Charles River in Boston. In the early 1990s, the Charles River Watershed Association began an in-depth restoration project, monitoring dozens of sites along the river basin. The association worked with scientists and engineers and discovered a host of problems, including CSOs, unmapped pipes and failed infrastructure. Support from all the groups and organizations involved led to stricter enforcement of the permits held by companies that fronted the river. Infrastructure improvements were also made, and by the end of the decade, most of the river met boating standards and over half met swimming standards.

This is an issue that affects everyone, yet you have largely been left to fight your individual battles — with little outside support — on the local level. While you all certainly have plenty on your plates, it may be well worth the effort to reach out to environmental groups, service organizations and other municipalities for their support in improving our failing infrastructure and protecting our water resources. Together your voices can carry beyond municipal boundaries to those with the ability to make substantive changes.

So talk to your legislators. Talk to the citizens of your community and share your knowledge. Talk to environmental groups and ask for their support in the fight for funding. Take a page from Andy Dufresne in “The Shawshank Redemption,” and send letters to your local representatives — lots of letters — until they finally get the message.

Everyone’s future depends on it.

Comments on this column or about any article in this publication may be directed to editor Luke Laggis, 800/257-7222; editor@mswmag.com.

As utilities struggle to sustain acceptable levels of service, they are faced with the increasing challenge of finding creative funding mechanisms to keep the systems running. Until something bad happens, the water and sewer infrastructure continues to be out of sight and out of mind.

Many of the country’s small — and some not-so-small — water and sewer providers rely on State Revolving Fund (SRF) programs to maintain their systems. By providing low-interest loans at or near U.S. Department of Treasury rates, SRF programs provide significantly lower rates than municipal bonds and can reduce the lifetime cost of a project by over 25 percent. Loans are paid back and provide a self-sustaining program at a low cost with minimal risk to the federal government.

SRF programs have been very successful. They are also a major source of funding for municipal water and wastewater projects, including consent decrees and consent orders with the EPA to reduce sewer overflows throughout the country. But they are also limited. Historically, many municipalities within a state would compete for the funding, but a large, well-deserving project could drain a state’s program.

SRF programs are the lifeblood of many small utilities, and this year, EPA budget cuts will reduce this funding by up to 20 percent. At a time when EPA enforcement actions are being ramped up, the decrease in funding for SRF programs does not make sense.

Based on the success of this program, it would make sense to expand rather than contract, particularly in these troubled economic times. Municipalities are not only struggling to fund their bare necessities, they are uncertain how the next election will affect the availability of funds. Elected officials share that uncertainty and often hesitate to provide support for any spending, even for necessary infrastructure. As we move forward, it is clear that water and sewer providers must turn to the use of more innovative financing mechanisms and rely less on federal and state funding sources.

One mechanism that has been used successfully is the Public-Private Partnership (PPP). These partnerships help municipalities maintain an acceptable level of service while also serving the interests of the private sector. In fact, these partnerships can help municipalities meet or even improve the level of service during challenging economic times. They are also supported by federal agencies like the EPA and DOD, as well as organizations like the U.S. Conference of Mayors, since they promote less reliance on federal funding. This type of innovative financing will be critical to maintaining acceptable levels of service as well as meeting the demands of EPA consent decrees.

NASSCO continues to serve the trenchless industry by setting industry standards for the assessment and rehabilitation of underground pipelines and assuring the continued acceptance and growth of trenchless technologies. As taxpayers and members of the water and wastewater industry, we need to also take responsibility for telling our elected officials that clean water, and eliminating SSOs and CSOs, is important and will require a combination of market-based funding mechanisms and low-interest loans. F

Ted DeBoda is executive director of NASSCO. He can be reached at director@nassco.org. NASSCO is located at 11521 Cronridge Drive, Suite J, Owings Mills, MD 21117.

The Flow Control Hydrant and Valve Inspector by Trimble from AMERICAN puts hydrant and valve maintenance and recordkeeping in the hands of the mobile workforce. A barcode scan of an AMERICAN hydrant or grate valve provides its specifications and exact GPS location. 800/326-8051; www.american-usa.com.

Basalt-lined piping

Abresist Kalenborn basalt-lined piping lasts five times longer than 1/2-inch wall cast iron, according to the manufacturer. Pipes, elbows and fittings are custom-engineered for each application and can be provided in a variety of end connection arrangements to retrofit into existing systems or install in new systems using flanges, grooved couplings, compression couplings or welded attachments. Most coating systems can be applied to the carbon steel outer casing. The piping is designed for abrasive slurry systems and pneumatic systems in pressure or vacuum conditions. 800/348-0717; www.abresist.com.

Dry-run pump

The Dri-Prime NC150M pump from Godwin, a Xylem brand, is a compact pump with flow capabilities up to 1,767 gpm and discharge heads up to 195 feet. The pump features Flygt N-technology with a self-cleaning hydraulic impeller. NC Series pumps deliver high efficiency, resulting in low energy and fuel costs while reducing downtime.

Features include an automatic self-priming system that primes and re-primes from dry up to 28 feet without operator assistance or foot valve control; non-clog performance; Hard-Iron (60 HRC) impeller and insert ring; dry-running high-pressure oil bath mechanical seal with highly abrasion-resistant silicon carbide faces; and close-coupled centrifugal pump mounted to a diesel engine or electric motor for easy pump-end or engine/motor changeover in the field. The pump can be customized with highway trailer, skid-mounted or quiet enclosure. It is also available as a Godwin DBS for pump station backup. 865/467-3636; www.godwin pumps.com.

Effluent distribution

The Tru-Flow splitter from Clarus Environmental equally divides effluent under gravity up to five ways while allowing operators to clean and adjust the flow without digging it up. The Spider Valve pressure manifold can be configured to properly split flows to laterals of different lengths on odd-shaped lots. Automatic multizone valve assemblies make large pressure-dosed systems manageable by dividing a system into larger, more convenient zones. 800/928-7867; www.clarusenvironmental.com.

Breakage solution

Vertical riser solutions for sewers from Royal Building Products offer a solution to broken sewer pipes and fittings breakage caused by the weight of material placed on top. The risers allow for movement without being crushed by extra weight. The controlled settlement joint allows pipe movement when external soil forces exceed 500 psi. The friction of soil settling drags pipe downward, which can cause fitting breakage. As the sewer pipe is pulled down it can also pull out of the elbow at the top of the lateral causing further failure. The riser adapter, controlled settlement joint and deep bell elbow solve breakage problems.

The riser solution works from 6 to 40 feet depending on the depth of the sewer main installation. It relieves pressure exerted from the static loads created above the installation, such as construction traffic and compaction, while facilitating drag down forces and earth settlement below the surface offering a total solution to potential breakage and pipe push-through. The system allows the contractors to install the riser in a vertical position instead of at a 45-degree angle. 800/232-5690; www.royalbuildingproducts.com/plastic-trends.

Compact pump

The Compact pump series from Thompson Pump is available in diesel-drive portable sizes of 4 and 6 inches. The lightweight system offers a small size, few parts and low maintenance. The series includes the Enviroprime system, which keeps pumpage from discharging into the environment. The series is available with automatic start/stop and Silent Knight sound attenuation. 800/767-7310; www.thompsonpump.com.

Backup system

The ReliaPrime emergency bypass station from Gorman-Rupp Co. operates on natural gas, making it quiet and environmentally friendly. The unit features a 6-inch Super T Series pump capable of passing 3-inch spherical solids and offers a soundproof, lightweight aluminum enclosure. The enclosure has padlocked door panels and can be removed for maintenance. The unit is a complete backup package, ready for hookup. 419/755-1011; www.grpumps.com.

Molded reducing tees

The IntegriFuse molded reducing tees from Integrity Fusion Products are fully pressure rated and available in sizes from 3 inches by 2 inches to 12 inches by 10 inches and all sizes in between. All sizes are available in SDR11 and SDR17. Integrity Fusion HDPE butt fusion fittings are molded out of resin meeting or exceeding PE100/PE4710/PE3608 specifications. 770/634-7530; www.integrityfusion.com.

Pipe fusion data logger

The DataLogger 4 from McElroy offers the ability to record and document the pipe fusion process. The unit is smaller than previous generations, has a rechargeable internal battery, double the screen resolution, and a pressure sensor with a 0 to 3,000 psi pressure range. The data logger has multilingual support and recognition of many international fusion standards. The FusionGuide feature gives a fast go/no-go interpretation of graphs generated by the unit. Trained inspectors look at the data to determine if a fusion joint was fused with correct pressures and times according to supported standards. 918/836-8611; www.mcelroy.com/fusion.

Tough water pipe

PE4710 water pipe from WL Plastics provides toughness, reliability and durability for extended service life performance. Flexibility and self-restrained joints allow for trenchless installation methods that save time and money versus traditional open-dig projects. The corrosion-free, heat-fused, leak-free joints reduce operations and maintenance costs. 682/831-2726; www.wlplastics.com.

Self-rotating nozzles

The Typhoon 10 series of self-rotating nozzles from NLB Corp. clean out blocked tubes and pipes with high-pressure water. They are coated with titanium nitride for long life and come in a variety of drill patterns to suit user needs, from cutting blockages to polishing tube walls.

Model RPN1510, for tubes with a 5/8-inch or larger I.D., is designed to operate at up to 15,000 psi. Model RPN2410 cleans the same size tubes at up to 24,000 psi. Maximum flow for both nozzles is 10 gpm. There are also two models for tubes with an I.D. of 3/4 inch or more. Model RPN1520 cleans at up to 15,000 psi and Model RPN2020 cleans at up to 20,000 psi. Both are designed for flows up to 20 gpm. All models get their rotating action (up to 7,000 rpm) from the nozzle instead of the barrel, focusing the force of the high-pressure water up front. 800/441-5059; www.nlbcorp.com.

Static discharge reels from Reelcraft Industries Inc. are used to ground equipment operating in hazardous atmospheres. When properly clamped to ground, the static discharge reel dissipates static electrical buildup, reducing the chances of sparking and the potential for explosion. Reels are available with 3/32-inch O.D. steel aircraft cable or 1/8-inch O.D. nylon-covered cable. 800/444-3134; www.reelcraft.com.

Hach portable velocity flowmeter

The FH950 portable velocity flowmeter from Hach Flow Meter Products and Services features electromagnetic sensor. The step-by-step interface simplifies programming, delivers real-time data and downloads direct to a PC. The unit automatically calculates total discharge based on USGS and ISO methods, while real-time velocity is graphed on a color display. 800/368-2723; www.hachflow.com.

RIDGID levels, tape measures

Aluminum machined levels and locking steel tape measures from RIDGID are the latest additions to its line of hand tools. The four levels (4-Vial Aluminum Machined Torpedo, model 400UM; 5-Vial Aluminum Machined Torpedo Level, model 500UM; 5-Vial Aluminum Machined Laser Level, model 800LMI; and U-Shape, V-Groove 10-Function Aluminum Machined Level, model F-10) are built from a solid block of aluminum and come with V-grooved Earth magnets for stability on pipe or magnetic surfaces. The laser level is tested to last up to 10,000 hours and provides accuracy of 1/4 inch at 100 feet. The tape measures are available in 16-foot (model 616) or 25-foot (model 325) versions. 800/769-7743; www.ridgid.com.

Universal Flow Monitors plastic transmitters

P420 series plastic, vortex-shedding flow rate transmitters from Universal Flow Monitors Inc. offer metering in corrosive fluids, water, brine and low-viscosity fluids in water treatment applications. The series includes models with wetted parts made entirely of PVC or CPVC for greater heat resistance. The CPVC monitors can transmit fluids with a maximum operating temperature of 180 degrees F. Available in five pipe diameters (1/2, 3/4, 1, 1 1/2 and 2 inches), the monitors provide a flow range of 12 to 200 gpm. 866/542-9641; www.flowmeters.com.

Extech wireless video receiver

The BRD10 wireless USB video receiver from Extech Instruments enables Extech boroscopes to work like a wireless webcam for real-time inspection video streaming with Web-based services like Skype, WebEx and UStream. The receiver weighs less than an ounce and is about the size of a USB memory stick. Software enables users to control video parameters, including brightness, contrast, hue, saturation, frame rate and output size. It is compatible with Windows XP, Vista and Windows 7 operating systems. 603/324-7801; www.extech.com.

Electric Eel eCAM inspection system

The eCAM ACE pipeline inspection camera system from Electric Eel Mfg. includes 200 feet of Kevlar braided pushrod for use in 3- to 10-inch-diameter lines. Features include stainless steel-housed 1.68-inch color camera with scratch-resistant sapphire lens, 512 Hz transmitter, 5.4-inch LCD monitor with anti-glare shield and video output jack. The portable, powder-coated steel reel and frame have a secure locking reel brake. The unit measures 24 inches tall and 18 inches wide and weighs 39 pounds. 800/833-1212; www.electriceel.com.

Zistos confined space pole camera

The IA-WSZ-A14 self-illuminating and submersible zoom camera from Zistos Corp. has a 14-foot extension pole that can remotely pan the camera 180 degrees. Made to inspect difficult-to-reach or dangerous areas, such as vaults, dry wells, manholes and other confined spaces, video is displayed on the LCD monitor aboveground. The system is packaged in a foam-fitted hard case. 631/434-1370; www.zistos.com.

Spartan hybrid hydrojetter

The Model 740 hybrid fuel hydrojetter from Spartan Tool delivers 4,000 psi at 12 gpm. Available in either gasoline-power or hybrid version that runs on liquid propane, the jetter has a wide-track, towable chassis. The LP version produces 4,000 psi wherever needed, including food processing plants and other air-quality locations. The jetter includes 350 feet of hose and 40 hp electric-start engine. 800/435-3866; www.spartantool.com.

“The machine has the ability to cut and bevel at the same time,” says Marnie Caldwell, manager, Marketing Services, for Reed Manufacturing. “You mount the machine onto the pipe, then using a handle and pneumatic power, draw the machine around the pipe for the cut.”

The RCB machine, which can be viewed at http://videos.reedmfgco.com/rapidcutbevel, includes motor, chains, connecting frame, wrenches and air line oil. An auxiliary compressor rated at 60 cfm and 90 psi, hoses with compatible fittings, and filter-regulator-lubricator (FRL) are required to run the cutter. The RCB takes approximately one minute per pipe diameter inch for setup, cut and bevel. The pneumatic-powered machines are portable and designed for use aboveground, in water or in trenches.

“Rapid Cut & Bevel is safer than a chop saw because the operator has better control over the cut and the blade is covered by a guard,” Caldwell says. “Plus, Rapid Cut does not bind as it travels through the pipe. The disadvantage of a chop saw is blade speeds approach 14,000 sfm and there’s no control when cutting in a ditch. The operator has to reach under the pipe and extend the saw, while avoiding water and inhaling fumes. Bonded abrasive blades on chop saws also can fragment.”

Available in two models, the RCB412 (26 pounds) can cut and bevel 4- through 12-inch nominal pipe, while the RCB624 (29.5 pounds) can cut 6- through 24-inch pipe. The RCB412 can be converted to cut up to 24-inch pipe using the optional kit that contains additional chain, connecting frame, turnbuckle assembly, four small rollers, two release pins and two hooks.

Caldwell says the RCB is an evolution of Reed’s longtime Universal Pipe Cutter. Known as the UPC, it’s used by the water industry for cutting larger pipe.

“There was a request from customers for a safe way to cut PE and PVC and bevel at the same time and not have to come back and use something else. (Typically PE pipe does not need to be beveled.) There are other ways to cut and bevel, but this is a way to do it all in one pass, so it should save time. And it should save money because you only need one piece of equipment.”

Maintenance includes oiling the motor after each day’s use and covering the air port when the unit is not in use. Release pins, chain links, mainframe screw, roller pins and turnbuckle assembly require occasional lubrication with a lightweight oil. 800/666-3691; www.reedmfgco.com.

In 2004, the commission participated in a voluntary capacity, management, operations and maintenance self-audit, and put wastewater collection system manager Gene Steele in charge.

“Our goal was to stop responding to calls about kids playing in sewage running down the streets and take an active role in preventing overflows,” he says.

Steele organized the collection of GPS data, a system assessment and prioritization of repairs; however, the challenges he faced were rooted in history and poverty. Mill companies owned everything in the towns including water and sewer lines, which they ran wherever they pleased, creating easement problems for workers today.

Most customers are in a low-income bracket, making it difficult to raise sewer rates. “I believe we do more with less than anybody else in the state, and we pride ourselves on those accomplishments,” says Steele. The South Carolina Rural Water Association agreed, naming him the 2011 Wastewater Collection Operator of the Year.

Rural restrictions

Steele oversees two 18- to 36-inch clay gravity trunk lines totaling 50 miles, 78 miles of gravity lines including 4- and 6-inch service laterals, 18 lift stations, 28 miles of force main, 1,200 manholes, and 48 air release valves. The county’s rural nature restricts sewer service.

Smaller city pipes radiate out to the trunk lines encircling the city limits. The largest collection system serves the mill town of Joanna; other collection systems serve satellite communities including Laurens. Wastewater flows to the 2.75 mgd Clinton/Joanna activated sludge treatment plant serving 13,000 people.

“The treatment area covers 37 square miles, but the collection system covers only five square miles,” says Steele. “The city maintains the small lines. My seven-person crew, operating on $400,000 a year, maintains everything outside the city limits.”

Roughly 90 percent or 140 miles of the system, mainly in Joanna, is old clay pipe with joints every two feet. When grease came in contact with the mortar, it dissolved the cement and enabled serious root intrusion. Steele assigned technicians Willie Cohens and Andy Vaughn to clean lines for nine months every year. He had no money to replace the pipes.

Appropriate tools

The commission bought a trailer-mounted 16 gpm/4,000 psi Harben jetter from Jet Vac with a 1/2-inch hose and Warthog nozzle from StoneAge. It also bought a trailer-mounted PipeHunter combination sewer cleaner with the Jet Eye inspection system.

“If we can’t clear the roots with the Harben, we use the PipeHunter,” says Steele. “Put a chain flair on a 3/4-inch hose fed by a 50 gpm/3,000 psi pump and it cleans like crazy.”

The crew uses the smaller Harben in backyards and confined areas. The bigger, heavier PipeHunter usually stays on the road. If they must bring it into a yard, they leave the water tank empty to reduce weight.

“We pump water to it from a trailer-mounted 1,500-gallon nurse tank,” says Steele. “We learned that the hard way after having to go back and repair lawns.”

For impossible root and grease blockages, the crew uses a trailer-mounted sewer rodder with 600 feet of 3/8-inch Blu-Steel sectional rods 3 feet long. Working manhole to manhole on an 8-inch line, Steele runs a 4-inch root saw upstream to cut a pilot hole. When the worker at the other manhole signals its arrival, Steele shuts down the machine while the technician replaces the saw with a 6-inch version, then Steele reverses the process.

“Pulling backward enables me to put more tension on the rods without breaking them,” says Steele. “We don’t want to dig up the pipe.” The commission limits the use of chemicals to kill roots because of the expense, preferring to cut the hot spots annually. The gravity lines are on a five-year cleaning cycle.

What do we own?

Steele supervised the collection of GPS data on gravity sewers and lift stations, assisted in creating a Web-based GIS application for the department, and updates the database with new infrastructure. He is now assessing the pipes.

The crew uses a trailer-mounted CUES inspection system with pan-and-tilt camera on an Ultra Shorty transporter with 450 feet of cable.

“Our longest runs were 750 feet launching from the downstream manhole, then back down the upstream manhole,” says Steele. “When we scheduled five miles of 8-inch sewer in Joanna with limited access, I knew the inspection would take three months.”

Unwilling to tie up his crew for that long, Steele did something that nobody else in the region had tried. He rented a fleet of Solo cameras from RedZone Robotics and completed the project in one week.

“Rights-of-way were one of our biggest concerns,” he says. “We have lines under sidewalks, in alleys, and under sheds or home additions.

“With Solo, a technician operates four battery-powered robots simultaneously from one manhole, eliminating easement access issues and minimizing public disruption.”

His next challenge will be inspecting the trunk lines and identifying point repairs.

Testing the water

The commission has little experience with trenchless technology and is testing different methods to learn what works best. One project included bursting 400 feet of 8-inch sewer and replacing it with high-density polyethylene pipe.

“We don’t own the alleys where the sewers run, so we’re gradually relocating them to the streets,” says Field. “We’re looking at pipe bursting to avoid tearing up the asphalt and then replacing it afterward.”

In 2011, the department received its first grant for several cured-in-place pipe rehabilitation projects, but there is a catch.

Although the commission identified the sections at highest risk, the grant criteria determine the priority. “It all depends on which homeowners will fill out the paperwork, share personal information, and help us meet the criteria,” says Field.

The commission raised all the revenue it could through fees before resorting to grants. “Our rates are already above the state average and probably the Southeast average,” says Anderson. “We’re almost $6 per thousand gallons with a $7 base fee for no usage. For customers on fixed incomes, that’s a hefty sewer bill.”

Most replacement projects still use open-cut. The longest to date replaced 1,500 feet of 6-inch force main and set five manholes in Joanna.

“The line ran through a deserted mill property and wasn’t easy for businesses to access from the main road, so we abandoned it and laid a new one,” says Steele.

Pump station upgrades

Lift stations were another source of overflows during 4- to 5-inch rainfalls and especially where one station fed another and both ran too much. Steele had technicians camp out all night to turn the pumps on and off and control the flow. When funds became available, he took action.

Steele equipped all the stations with SCADA systems from MISSION Communications, then upgraded the pumps and added Danfoss variable-frequency drives on five stations to lower the electric bill. He installed Caterpillar emergency diesel generators at the smaller stations and Katolight brand generators from MTU Onsite Energy at the large wet wells, and purchased GE Zenith automatic transfer switches to alternate between electric and standby power. Should everything fail, Steele installed bypass piping at major stations.

The 700- to 1,200-gallon wet wells, installed when mills discharged 500,000 gpd, had bar screens. An operator descended 25 feet down a ladder in a confined space to rake the screen. “We had a lot of problems with companies flushing trash down the toilets,” says Steele. “The worst offenders are prisoners in the county jail.”

In 2011, he replaced the screens with Model 3000 Muffin Monster grinders from JWC Environmental. “They cut up everything and make maintenance much safer for my operators,” says Steele. “Half the lift stations have Gorman-Rupp suction pumps or small submersibles. If we maintain them, we may avoid upgrading for 30 years.”

Manhole rehabilitation

Most manholes in the villages are brick and mortar, while the trunk lines have precast structures. “Hydrogen sulfide had eroded the concrete so badly that we figured on replacing them,” says Steele.

Instead, the commission purchased SewperCoat equipment from Kerneos.

“We rehabilitated 300 manholes on the gravity lines in 2006 and saved a bundle over buying new ones,” says Steele. “The coating looks just as good as the day we applied it.”

Steele then turned his attention to the village manholes. Crews use the Harben jetter to wash the structures, occasionally spraying them with degreaser to clean the surface before spraying on and brushing down the coating.

“The interior has to be wet,” says Steele. “The wetter it is, the longer it takes the coating to dry, but it has great structural integrity.”

Steele’s final source of SSOs was leaking air release valves. In 2006, he scheduled them for quarterly disassembling and cleaning. Until Steele ran out of parts, he used to rebuild the valves when they failed. Today, he replaces them with D-025 SB kinetic air/vacuum valves from A.R.I. USA.

“I won’t use anything else because they are easy to service and that reduces the time we are in a confined space,” he says.

The only SSOs now are from broken force mains, and the commission uses grant dollars when available to upgrade the worst sections.

“Gene and his crew have done a great job reducing overflows from blockages to zero,” says Field. “However, what we need to take our efforts to the next level is a growing customer base. Our biggest challenge is lack of growth.”