In September 1998, American football fans witnessedsomething new on their televisions: a virtual, yellow line (representing the first-down line) superimposed on their screens. This was created by the engineers at Sportvision Inc., a company that providedvirtual viewing enhancements for sporting events. The first-down line is one of the earliest examples ofaugmented reality(AR)at work.

Oftentimes, it’s hard to get a feel for a piece of inspection equipment until it’s right in front of you. As such, equipment demos are prime opportunities for determining exactly what you need from your new sewer inspection tool. To truly make the most out of an equipment demo, there are several things you should keep in mind. 

Updating your asset management strategy is intimidating, especially when there are so many options to choose from. Moving from hardcopy reports to digital via the cloud is a particularly big step. This transition is made easier by advanced asset management software that’s made to fit your unique inspection needs. Across industries, WinCan sewer inspection software is simplifying the data and asset management process.

Medical and public health experts agree: There is no “safe” level of lead in the human body. Unfortunately, many lead sewer and water pipes are still in place across the country; according to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), there are approximately 9.2 million lead service lines (pipes that connect homes to the water main) in the U.S. As these lines and other lead plumbing fixtures age, they’re at higher risk of corrosion and are therefore more likely to leach lead into water supplies. With this knowledge in mind, it’s essential that lead pipe replacement programs take center stage to protect public health. 

On February 5, 2021, Oldsmar, Florida’s water treatment plant operators found themselves under attack. A hacker infiltrated the facility’s system and attempted to increase the water’s level of sodium hydroxide to over 100 times its normal amount. While sodium hydroxide is commonly used in water and wastewater treatment to remove heavy metal particles, large amounts of sodium hydroxide are poisonous to humans and can be deadly.  

Last month we reconnected with many of our incredible sales partners at the WWETT Show. We had a blast celebrating our network’s growth and recognizing the top sales performers of the past year. Here are our 2022 award recipients: 

A Better Way To Manage Sewers

For many wastewater operators, things are getting harder, not easier. With diminishing budgets and aging sewer infrastructure across North America, municipalities’ options are limited. Excessive inflow and infiltration (I&I) can cause a collection system to exceed its capacity limits, leading to increased treatment costs and sanitary sewer overflows (SSOs) that release untreated effluent into the environment. And aggressive cleaning programs, while effective at clearing pipes of debris, result in some pipes getting over-cleaned. This wastes resources and leads to premature pipe degradation and, eventually, early pipe failure. Today’s teams have neither the time nor the money to do it all.

In the world of sewer assessment, visual pipe inspection tools are extremely helpful for gathering detailed data on sewer conditions. While this equipment is popular in the industry, it only represents one kind of inspection method. Non-visual inspection technologies are a category in themselves, and include a range of solutions, including acoustic pipe assessment, electrical leak location and other leak testing, laser profiling, and the use of ground-penetrating radar and geospatial probes.

Natural disasters are nothing new in the United States. In 2017 alone, the country experienced 16 extreme weather events including devastating hurricanes and raging wildfires. Extreme weather is on the rise. While local policymakers and health officialslead the charge to prepare for these disasters, municipal water and wastewaterdepartments should participate in these efforts to help keep their crews, communities and assets safe and protected, and to ensure that essential services are maintained wherever possible. We’ve compiled a list of best practices to augment your utility’s extreme weather response plans and procedures. 

When she became co-owner of Orlando-based wastewater contractor LRIE, Inc., Karoline Headrick and her business partner decided it was time to transition away from recording inspections by hand.