Many wastewater pros focus exclusively on gathering inspection footage, but that task is only a small part of the wastewater assessment workflow. And throughout the inspection process, there are a lot of handoffs: from supervisors who are assigning work to inspection crews; from crews who take videos and record observations to the teams assessing and prioritizing future work; from contractors to municipalities when work is completed; and more. Not surprisingly, crews that can transfer inspection and rehab information smoothly tend to work more quickly and efficiently.

Most of the work tackled by the ROVVER X sewer inspection crawler is routine sewer inspection work: driving up main lines, capturing CCTV footage for mandatory, scheduled assessments. But this nimble, powerful crawler is designed to withstand even the most punishing underground environments. That durability, plus its compact, portable design, means that over the years it has been deployed in a range of off-road — and off-label — sites.

Every day, wastewater pros around the world leverage equipment and software to keep communities clean and healthy. Key to this task is collecting and analyzing data to plan maintenance, improve performance and achieve compliance. Video from crawlers and other visual assessment methods, in addition to laser profiling and sonar data, can provide a complete picture of underground infrastructure.

The design and planning of a sewer system plays a key role in protecting our lakes, rivers and oceans—and the people and wildlife who swim in and drink from them. Treatment plants reduce pollutants, including the human waste, food scraps, chemicals and oils that accumulate in wastewater, so that it can be safely released into the environment.

For both contractors and municipalities, there’s a lot that goes into running a successful wastewater maintenance operation. The precarious work requires vigor, patience and skill. It requires planning, organization and solutions-based mindsets. And it requires capable, productive equipment. Above all else, a successful wastewater operation needs a loyal team that’s committed to the work.

Damaged pipes, varied materials, laterals and main lines—ROVVER X is the ever-adaptable inspection crawler that can do it all. Whether you’re conducting routine assessments or on an emergency call out, Envirosight’s versatile crawler is easily configured for unique pipe conditions. The system is designed to be adaptable, so that inspection crews can get more bang for the buck and avoid investing in additional unnecessary equipment

The wastewater industry was uncharted territory for Joseph Turley, an army veteran and president of PipeView Inspection Services, when he purchased the company in late 2018. But he and his brother, Justin Turley, were prepared to hit the ground running. 

Generally speaking, pump stations are used to help transport fluids from one point to another. They play an integral role in a handful of infrastructure systems, including sewers. Many sewer systems rely on pumping stations, or lift stations, to push wastewater from point A to point B, especially in cases where gravity can’t move flow from a low-lying area to higher ground. 

Celebrating 75 years of service in 2020, Ironhouse Sanitary District has a rich history in the eastern San Francisco Bay Area. Over the years, the District has watched small communities turn into incorporated cities, added nearby communities to its own service area, and seen substantial growth across the region.

Maintaining sewer systems can be precarious work. Because of the punishing conditions sewers are exposed to daily, a variety of issues can arise—many of which are out of the control of those working to maintain them. But being able to identify the problem, and find and provide a solution is crucial to maintaining any wastewater system. Sometimes, however, those challenges are a bit more unique and require sewer professionals to think further outside the box.