Manhole risers a fit for large metro sewer network

Problem:

Home to Birmingham, and more than 660,000 residents, Jefferson is Alabama’s most populous county. Its sewer network includes 3,600 miles of pipe and 80,000 manholes. That last figure represents a sizable amount of annual maintenance; though manholes themselves are durable infrastructure, they do need to be kept at grade. If they’re set low, water collects around the manhole lid causing excessive inflow and infiltration. If they’re set high, they become a traffic hazard jarring vehicle tires, lid and rim continually.

Solution:

Pivoted Turnbuckle Manhole Risers from American Highway Products are used by sewer departments all over the United States and are based on a simple concept — tough, galvanized, flexible rings of steel are placed in old manhole rims and expanded with a pivoted turnbuckle (turned by hand with a screwdriver) that exerts thousands of pounds of force. This sets the riser tightly and precisely into old rims, even if they’re worn or out of round.

RESULT:

They’re quick and easy to install in five to six minutes, according to Brian Champion, Jefferson County Commission sewer construction maintenance supervisor, making them safer for crews due to their relatively light weight. They’re also cost-effective compared to jackhammering and manual lifting. And they have a good track record. “We’ve looked at a lot of other options, and nothing else is made or designed as well as these risers — and quality matters,” says Champion. “We keep these in stock and have been using them at least 18 years.” 888-272-2397; www.ahp1.com 

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Self-cleaning trashracks prove reliable in harsh storm conditions

Problem:

Though Texas is a drought-prone state, the risk of extreme rainfall and flooding events is projected to increase by 30 to 50% by 2036, highlighting the importance of the state’s stormwater infrastructure. The city of Dallas Hampton Road Pump Station had operated without any protection in front of its stormwater intake grating. While the site is capable of handling up to 201 mgd, the pumps continuously clogged, lacking the water required to function. To clear the grates, operators used simple hand rakes, no small feat considering the grates were more than 100 feet long.

Solution:

Duperon Self-Cleaning Trashracks are a reliable, automated screening system for the unique conditions of stormwater flow. Their design enables them to manage highly variable debris — from bottle caps to washing machines — as well as the ever-changing, often high-velocity flows inherent to stormwater. A continuously and automatically cleaned screen assures maximum efficiency due to uninterrupted water flow.

RESULT:

As funding became available, the city finished the Hampton Pump Station with a total of five units installed over a five-year period. “We have debris that varies from grass to very large tree trunks, and we wanted equipment that could handle all of that,” says Dhruv Pandya, district manager for the city of Dallas Department of Flood Control. “The SCT performed efficiently and effectively, and the city has not looked back.” 800-383-8479; www.duperon.com

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Grinder pumps help municipality implement a sustainable solution

Problem:

The East Cedar Creek Fresh Water Supply District in Texas sought a more reliable grinder pump solution due to service issues and overtime costs. The system includes 3,600 individual grinder pumps for residential and commercial use as well as pumps for 10 to 15 lift stations.

Solution:

Franklin Electric invited district engineers into their local lab to see first-hand what more efficient FPS pumps could accomplish. Grinding was the main concern, and Franklin put several products to the test, including the IGP-A Series and IGP-M Series – both designed for residential or light commercial sewage needs. The automatic and manual 208-230 volt/single-phase pumps are 2 hp, but perform closer to a 3.5 or 5 hp. The cutter system on the units is also designed not to bind up even if the pump stops running at the end of a cycle.

RESULT:

The district engineers liked what they saw and specified the pumps for known problem areas. Callouts are down significantly, and failure rates have improved. Now the pumps are considered the preferred solution for the district’s grinder applications and will be installed as needed when issues arise with the current equipment. 866-271-2859; www.franklinengineered.com

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Epoxy lining provided for new manholes

Problem:

The city of Buckeye, Arizona, needed to build 41 new 60-inch manholes at the luxury community of Anderson Park. Project specs included full epoxy lining of the new infrastructure.

Solution:

Longtime Neopoxy client Manhole Coating applied NPR-5304 corrosion-resistant epoxy using plural component spray equipment. The application took two weeks, at a thickness of 125 mils.

RESULT:

The new coating ensures worry-free corrosion protection for decades. 510-782-1290; www.neopoxy.com