Sewer blockages are the main cause of sanitary sewer overflows and often result from grease, roots and debris. Historically, preventive sewer cleaning has been the preferred approach to prevent SSOs caused by blockages, where all sewers are cleaned periodically in a preventive manner to mitigate emerging blockages, while sewers with recurring problems are cleaned on a more frequent basis.

While this approach is effective, it is not always efficient. Therefore, ADS Environmental Services has developed blockage PREDICT to detect the earliest signs of blockages, allowing sewer cleaning resources to be deployed at the right place at the right time in a proactive manner well before an overflow occurs.

Blockage PREDICT works with an ADS ECHO level monitor installed upstream from a location of interest, measuring sewer flow depth at regular time intervals. This data is transmitted periodically to the cloud where a machine-learning algorithm evaluates the data, looking for telltale signs of developing blockages.

“Blockage PREDICT is an advanced app within our PRISM software platform that predicts developing blockages with sufficient advance notice to plan a proactive response with the right resources at the right time to prevent an overflow well before it occurs,” says Eric Lott, senior marketing manager for ADS Environmental. “Using blockage PREDICT in conjunction with level monitoring allows municipal managers to optimize sewer cleaning and prevent SSOs.”

The PRISM app itself provides critical data to support management, engineering and operational decisions within a wastewater collections system, connecting clients to any monitoring network, delivering near real-time operational intelligence on the status of the system. It serves as a fast and easy way to visualize the condition of a collections system, offering dynamic analytical functions to fuel discoveries that will lead to enhanced management of the system.

“Our machine-learning application blockage PREDICT, as a component of PRISM, provides a new early warning system for potential overflow-causing blockages in the collections system, with up to a two-week advanced warning before serious problems arise,” Lott says. “It provides unique solutions across multiple applications in our industry, enabling sewer cleaning optimization, preventing SSOs and building efficiency in daily operations and maintenance for collections systems managers.” 800-633-7246; www.adsenv.com.