Continue reading »]]> Potential I & I Locations

Winter thaws and early spring rains are in season now, ready to invade watersheds in rural and urban areas.  While some locations will not be visibly affected, other communities will have the additional workload of dealing with an increase of Inflow and Infiltration incidents.    

Those areas affected by I & I, “Hot Spots”, should be identified and monitored closely during times of wet weather increase.  Parallel runs of sanitary and storm system piping, cross-over and under piping, as well as service laterals can all be labeled as “Hot Spots”.  Temporary flooding locations, swales, ditches and creeks are all above ground sites that fall under the same category.  Documentation of these repeat incident locations will aid in the process of reducing I & I incident numbers.  

 Observations noted of I & I locations by field employees and data entry personnel work together to record the historical details, essential to the analysis of flow patterns during wet weather peaks.  Having accurate rain event data will give additional insight into the behavior of a sanitary collection system, tracking rain rate with flow rates to the treatment plant.  Implementing a metering program will contribute data to formulating an effective Inflow and Infiltration abatement schedule.

 Developing a successful program to reduce I & I incidents requires diligence, starting with the identifying of “Hot Spots”.  The viewing of temporary flood waters, piping layout and data analysis is the beginning of a proactive maintenance  mode that will assist communities in the long-term sustainability of a sanitary collection system.

Continue reading »]]> Going to the Next Step:  Inspection to Maintenance and Rehabilitation

 Completion of project plans can often be a challenge for many companies.  Getting from one phase of a project to the next can present unpredicted situations that test the proposed goals.  Limited resources, understaffing, or indecisiveness are just some of the obstacles that may interfere with phases of a collection system project.  Whether the project is proactive or mandated, each phase is crucial to moving towards completion in a cost-effective, sustainable manner.  

Project Agenda:

Inflow & Infiltration isolation and SSO mitigation were the project goals that would involve maintenance and rehabilitation to the sanitary collection system. Initial field work would assign collection system workers the diligent tasks of system inspections, focusing on asset observations, identifying inadequate asset designs, and isolated restrictions.   

 Project Actions:

Resources spent on those inspections produced site-specific information that showed how the collection system behaved during wet weather periods.  Associated causes of system overflows were also documented.  Having site-specific data was a key factor in decision-makers moving forward to the next level of asset sustainability, with the emphasis being on maintenance and rehabilitation. 

 Project Results:

With new information on collection system behavior, site-specific analysis was used to target SSO mitigation and I & I isolations, two major problem areas of the collection system.  Repairs based on site-specific locations resulted in immediate restoration of hydraulic capacity to restriction areas, confirming the importance of analysis of field observation data.   

Completion of the inspection phase produced the data needed to keep the project moving forward.  The analyzed information allowed for a more thorough evaluation of site locations, which resulted in effective, pragmatic maintenance and rehabilitation work.  Documenting each repair or rehabilitation project can serve as an instructional tool for future determinates of hydraulic behavior.  Having a better understanding of a collection system’s organization and hydraulic patterns will prove greater efficiency towards its long-term sustainability.

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Although unseen, collection systems are expensive assets that are costly due to their continuous maintenance.  They are vital to our way of life, complicated by nature, government regulated, and therefore must be in compliance with local, state and federal agencies.  Due to their location underground, they are an easy subject to dismiss when addressing the operating costs of a community.

  Every day, municipalities across the country are making difficult decisions regarding allocation of resources and costs to their collection systems.  Budget constraints can make funding of some services a difficult assignment.  Opportunity costs are part of that allocation process.

 Opportunity Costs in a nutshell:  “the value of something given up to achieve something else.”     

 Opportunity costs can come in many forms and although it seems unlikely, customer complaints can be utilized in determining those opportunity costs.  Addressing customer complaints may not be the favorite topic of the day for most collection system employees but is still part of the job.  Many complaints are recurring issues and clues to maintenance locations in a collection system.   Can the time spent to track “basement backups or ponding” incidents be considered an opportunity cost? 

 The customer feedback concerning unsatisfactory situations and the categorizing of those facts should be considered valuable data to the long-term sustainability of a collection system.   Lessening expensive, emergency repairs is only one branch of sustainability that can be realized in part by documenting flow patterns using customer feedback sources.

  Time allocated to the detailed documentation of customer feedback may be seen by some as a resource that can be better spent on more visible projects, especially in times of budget reductions.  System owners and other fiscally responsible parties will need to assess the value of documented customer feedback and its role in proactive projects.  This mindset is what will make a difference in the reduction of asset costs, effective maintenance and customer reassurance that their feedback is making a difference in the long-term sustainability of their community’s collection system.

Continue reading »]]>  Where to begin …

Flocis’ 4-Step Process methodology gives an outline of topics to be addressed when considering the start of an I&I Abatement Program. 

 Step 1.  Preparation

• Accurate collection system maps
• “Linked” database
• Fixed metering location
• Topographical maps
• Field & clerical training

 Step 2.  Deployment                                                                                         

• Verify asset maps
• Potential I&I clues
• Dry & wet weather characteristics
• Watershed observations

 Step 3.  Analyze

• Source / Receiver Methodology
• Field observations
• Site-specific repairs

 Step 4.  Decide

• Financing,  O & M Budgets
• Review roles & standards
• Develop inspection program
• Address private clear water I&I

 A detailed plan of operation is essential in working towards the reduction of I & I sources.  Our summary outline is designed to give a quick snapshot of key points that will help develop that plan.  Please read the detailed outline on starting an I & I Abatement Program featured on our website under Source / Receiver Methodology.

Continue reading »]]>  Source  /  Receiver Methodology:

 Finding ways to reduce Inflow / Infiltration are major concerns to the individuals responsible for collection systems.  FloCis has developed a methodology named Source / Receiver to aid with I & I accountability.  The concept defines precipitation as the “Source” and “Receiver”, the sanitary system conveying it to the treatment plant.  One segment of the theory is showcased below.

 Determine the source / receiver relationship, or S/R, between storm waters and a sanitary collection system

• Assessment of Sources:  the location of flow concentration points       
• Topography                                                                                                                                    
• Runoff Coefficient
• Flow concentration
• Ground water sources

• Assessment of Receiver Sites in the sanitary collection system
• Design – materials, sizing, length of pipe
• Organizations – flow hierarchy
• Asset location

• Proximity – the horizontal and vertical relationship between the two systems on water conveyance

• Interference – the occasion and rate of storm water flow to the sanitary system at a specific site

• Field confirmations are required for empirical verification that storm water and the sanitary collection systems have adjacent positions.

The previous 5 items are starting points for gathering data that can be used to begin mapping a collection system.  Identifying storm water concentrations and the proximity of sanitary pipes are just two aspects of working towards reduction of flow using visual inspections and analytical mapping, with the Source / Receiver methodology at the core of assessment procedures.

See Source / Receiver Methodology Page

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What’s Your Manhole Evaluation Schedule Look Like?   

Does your maintenance department have a master schedule for evaluating manholes?  Is it a priority by management to have field staff systematically record the physical conditions of each manhole within the collection system?  Are they only evaluated when other maintenance duties are at a slower pace and fill-in jobs are needed?

 While it may be tough to find the time and discipline to maintain a manhole evaluation schedule, there are definite results:

• Historical data on physical decay of each site                                                        
• Familiarity of performance during wet and dry weather
• Signs of foreign debris

Foreign debris can also be documented seasonally.  Having historical records on each site’s performance throughout the year will give a more complete picture of a collection system when analyzing for solutions to I&I or other complications.

 FloCis believes manholes can provide a wealth of collection system conditions ranging from flow characteristics to upstream deterioration.  Making sure the evaluations are detailed and consistent are key to their validity when used to assess current and future projects.

Continue reading »]]> Autumn:  Challenges and Benefits to a Collection System  

It’s the time of year to see and feel the changing climate. Cooler temperatures and scenic color changes in the landscape remind us that autumn has arrived.  As trees lose those colorful leaves, they may be seen as a nuisance to those in charge of cleanup.  While most municipalities have a collection plan for disposing of them, leaves are bound to end up trapped and catch basins blocked by them.  They may also begin to travel throughout the storm pipes within a collection system.

Scheduled manhole evaluations at this time of year may reveal some unexpected debris, those traveling leaves.  They can be seen as clues or evidence of compromised storm and sanitary sewer pipes.  A community dealing with Inflow & Infiltration may want to take a closer look at those manholes with leaf debris.

Maintenance departments that have incorporated scheduled manhole evaluations will be able to document and track the conditions of each location.  Seasonal historical data can be used to help identify deteriorating sites and potential problems, such as I &I.

Autumn may be the ideal time of year to complete visual inspections within a collection system.  Hot summer days have ended and winter conditions have not arrived.  Field workers may be able to work more efficiently during this moderate season, making sure to inspect and evaluate before weather conditions make these tasks harder to accomplish.

Working towards the best allocation of all resources during the autumn months will have a direct impact on the sustainability of collection systems throughout the year.  Field employees and innovated tools are the combination that will contribute to long-term, improved collection system operations.

For more reading, go to Flocis.com

Seasonal Catch Basin

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Cost-Cutting Alternative  

FloViz is our software program that works with FloStiks in the quest to identify ” Inflow & Infiltration”, a major concern for many communites no matter what their population.

FloViz is less expensive than traditional flow metering programs currently available,  existing software programs may be more detail oriented but also cost-prohibitive for many communities.

3-D Visualization

Our software offers users a 3-D view of collected data that shows:

• Start of rain occurances
• Change in flow to the collection system
• Users can then analyze as to the location of ground water intrusion

Go to FloCis.com to read more

Alternative Uses

FloViz is flexible, able to adapt to other uses, not just flow metering.  Time-dependent data that needs monitoring is another option that can be developed through FloViz.   Check with our  IT department to help formulate your company’s growing needs.

Continue reading »]]> FloStik – Flow Metering

FloStik Meter

Our innovated meters are designed to be more cost-effective than current models on the market.

The latest 2.0 version has been developed to be more compact, as well as smarter, using Bluetooth technology.

While our current models are being used by utilities, our FloCis team is continually working on upgrades to enhance their capabilities.  Producing decisive results communities can analyze and learn from is our refining  priority.