Always A Step Ahead

Orange County Sanitation District keeps costs down with an approach based on aggressive planning and maintenance and life extension

Oct 25, 2011 | by Scottie Dayton |

Best Management Practices (BMP) Design-build Ameron International - WTG Pipe Lining Sanitary Sewer Overflow (SSO) Vactor Manufacturing Jet/Vac Combination Machine Sancon Engineering, Inc. Linabond, Inc. Pipeline Rehabilitation/Lining Vaporooter Root Control - Chemical RootX HOBAS Pipe USA Esri Geographic Information System (GIS) Trimble - Mapping & GIS

Always A Step Ahead — The Orange County Sanitation District collections division O&M team includes, from left, Chad Martinez, Ian Brown, Tim Hopkins, Ruly Olaiz, Steve Grande, John Gonzalez, Doug Rech, Jeff Peterson, Gilbert Padilla, Bryan Blair, Ray Navarro, Peter Cheffs, Aurelio Jamie, Matt Worthy, Kevin Schuler, David Andrade and Don Cleveland. In front are senior supervisor of collection facilities O&M William Cassidy and director of the Facilities Support Services department Nick Arhontes. Not shown are

Always A Step Ahead — Nick Arhontes, P.E., director of the Facilities Support Services department.

Always A Step Ahead — A Wayne Ballfrom Sidu Company is used for cleaning a pipe.

Always A Step Ahead

Always A Step Ahead — Lead mechanic Peter Cheffs points to the map location of a pipe that needs to be jetted and cleaned. (Photography by George Katzenberger)

Always A Step Ahead — Bryan Blair uses an ALTAIR gas detector from MSA to check for gas in a manhole before opening it for jetting.

Always A Step Ahead

Always A Step Ahead

Always A Step Ahead

Always A Step Ahead — Mechanic Bryan Blair, left, and lead mechanic Peter Cheffs use the Vactor 2100 to jet a manhole. Cheffs holds a mirror to assess the progress.

Always A Step Ahead

Always A Step Ahead — The Orange County Sanitation District uses the GeoXT GPS unit from Trimble.

Dscf3169

Dscf3110

Dscf3276

Dscf3287

Dscf3316

Dscf3318

Dscf3324

Dscf3333

Dscf3338

Dscf3345

Dscf3363

Dscf3374

The Collection Facilities Operation and Maintenance Division of the Orange County Sanitation District in Fountain Valley, Calif., holds the enviable position of having only a minor backlog of sewer repairs. That is quite an accomplishment for the third largest regional wastewater agency west of the Mississippi River.The district stays on top of problems by relying on strong collaboration with 21 cities and three special districts representing 27 satellite utilities within a 480-square-mile service area. Its successful practices include outsourcing repairs to local contractors who use the latest technologies, allowing its own workforce to remain at 25 people.In 2001, the district

Please login or register to view MSW articles. It's free, fast and easy!

Related

WWETT Show 2026 Huber Lancer

Huber Showcases Updated Lancer SC1512 Combo Sewer Cleaner

Dezurik case study

Case Studies: Pumps, Valves and Conveyance

Nwpx pumptrooper packaged pump lift station

Product Focus: Pumps, Valves and Conveyance

Dev 3996 copy

Choosing the Right Sewer Inspection Software

100 0006 2

Packaging Wastewater Infrastructure for Growth

Waterbury04

Water Main Rehabilitation With Minimum Impact

Goodwin 2

A Plan to Foil Flooding

WWETT Show Video 2026 Vactor 2100i

Vactor 2100i Combination Sewer Cleaner Puts the Operator in Control