Assessment tool helps utility fulfill maintenance plan
Problem: Gainesville Regional Utilities maintains a 671-mile collections system that serves 67,000 customer connections around the city of Gainesville, Florida. As a result of their aging collections system with pipes exceeding 100 years in service, and inspection frequencies averaging 19 years, the utility encountered frequent sanitary sewer overflows and blockages. Traditional inspection methods proved too slow and costly for a system of their size, forcing them to rely heavily on reactive maintenance.
Solution: In October 2022, the utility established the System Wide Assessment & Maintenance Plan to transition from a reactive to a proactive, condition-based maintenance approach. A key component of SWAMP is the implementation of the Sewer Line Rapid Assessment Tool from InfoSense. The SL-RAT uses transmissive acoustics to give the high-level blockage conditions of a pipe segment in approximately 90 seconds. This efficient approach enables the utility’s two-person crew to evaluate upwards of 10,000 feet of gravity sewer lines daily, allowing for swift identification and resolution of problematic pipes.
Result: The SWAMP program delivered notable efficiency and performance improvements. The utility has inspected over 390 miles using the SL-RAT, reducing inspection frequency to 2.5 years. Targeted cleaning of 17% of the system led to a 64% reduction in SSO discharge volume in 2023. 877-747-3245; www.infosense.com
Sensors help utility locate inflow and infiltration
Problem: Each year, monsoons hit Payson, Arizona, and within 24 hours, Green Valley Water dealt with water entering the collections system and pouring into the treatment facility at a rate nearly double the normal daily inflow. Smoke testing, CCTV, flowmeters and other isolation techniques had proven ineffective.
Solution: In 2023, Green Valley Water incorporated a service from RH Borden called iTrackers. They are sensors that can be deployed in a network and monitor water levels at all times. When rain comes, these sensors work together and can pinpoint exactly where the I&I is coming from. RH Borden deploys iTracking either across full collections systems to assess all major basins or in a targeted way on a single basin.
Result: After only two to three rain events, RH Borden identified the top two basins in the system contributing to I&I and also the top five manholes in those basins where the I&I was entering. With this pinpoint accuracy, Green Valley now knows where to make the necessary repairs to stop the I&I from entering. 385-228-5350; www.rhborden.com
Software assists city’s management of sewer system
Problem: Alexander City, Alabama, faced significant challenges in managing its sprawling 150-mile sewer network efficiently. The city’s old approach relied on manual memory for sewer line locations, and early attempts to use camera inspections lacked supportive software, resulting in disorganized and error-prone inspection data. This inefficiency hindered effective sewer management, and the city often experienced up to 100 overflows annually due to inconsistent maintenance and oversight.
Solution: To address these issues, the city adopted ITpipes, a comprehensive software solution that integrated seamlessly with ArcGIS mapping tools. ITpipes provided easy-to-use interfaces for pipe inspection and robust data management capabilities, which transformed the city’s approach to sewer system management. The implementation of ITpipes Mobile, Web and Sync allowed field crews to access real-time data, automatically fill in asset information during inspections, and sync inspection data back to the office without data loss. This integration of GIS with asset data facilitated a more structured and efficient inspection process.
Result: The adoption of ITpipes significantly improved the management of the city’s sanitary sewer system, reducing the number of annual overflows from 100 to single digits, demonstrating a drastic enhancement in proactive maintenance capabilities. Routine inspections became more systematic, allowing the entire sewer network to be comprehensively inspected every two years. The software not only streamlined data handling and inspection processes, but also supported the city’s staff with training and operational ease, leading to more effective prioritization of sewer lining projects and better overall infrastructure management. 877-487-4737; www.itpipes.com
