Traversing steep pipe inclines previously posed challenges for Pittsburgh Water & Sewer Authority in its inspection, maintenance and rehab planning efforts.
“We are constantly trying to climb hills with our equipment, which we used to find really difficult,” says Jason Auge, CCTV specialist and 13-year veteran of PWSA.
The authority is responsible for the entire city of Pittsburgh’s sewer system, roughly 12,000 miles of mostly combined sanitary and storm sewer lines. And there are countless slopes around the historic city.
PWSA faces several other challenges, including increased debris from the combined system, frequent pipe junctions and sinkholes.
“The number of lines that run junction-to-junction in our system is a unique challenge for us,” Auge says.
THE SOLUTION
The team at PWSA purchased ROVVER X SAT II lateral launch crawlers from Envirosight.
“The biggest differences we’ve noticed with this system are the improved climbing capability and push power,” Auge says. “With eight-wheel drive instead of six, and the new belt drive, it’s made a big difference.”
The crawlers also help PWSA address the junction-to-junction lines.
“There is often no manhole to gain access, but with the lateral launch on the SAT II, we are able to drive up one sewer main and launch the camera into other mains running perpendicular,” Auge says.
Operators rely on the launch camera’s pan-and-tilt capabilities to investigate defects and navigate bends. And twin sonde transmitters make the crawler and lateral launch camera locatable from street level for accurate marking and digging.
THE RESULT
The new system has also proven useful in determining the source of sinkholes and resolving them faster.
“We first do dye tests on the sinkhole to determine where the issue is coming from,” Auge says. “If it’s the lateral, we confirm which home, and then we launch the SAT II up their line and determine what’s broken and what they need to do to repair it. The push power going up these laterals is way better than before, so we’re addressing needs quickly.”
The SAT II’s new push-drive mechanism offers increased power while minimizing wear on the push rod. And it’s designed for easy cleaning and toolless belt changes in the field.
With a SAT II system in each of its three inspection vehicles, PWSA has already seen improved productivity.
“There’s definitely been an increase in efficiency with the SAT II,” says Auge. “We are getting more done. It’s crawling faster and we’re getting to our problem spots quicker. The technology has improved significantly.”
And the crew at A&H Equipment, Envirosight’s sales partner in Pennsylvania, is pleased to see its loyal customer satisfied with the new equipment.
“Pittsburgh has some really challenging sewer infrastructure,” says Perry Ohm, territory sales manager at A&H. “We knew if the new ROVVER X SAT II impressed them, it would succeed anywhere.”
Envirosight designs equipment to serve the needs of municipalities, contractors, departments of transportation and civil/environmental engineers. Envirosight is a full-service manufacturer of robotic sewer inspection crawlers, zoom cameras, push cameras, inspection reporting and asset management software, and inspection vehicles. Envirosight is committed to ongoing innovation, delivering products that enhance user productivity and inspection detail. Envirosight serves customers through a trained network of regional sales partners who deliver localized support and expertise with rapid turnaround.
866-227-9845 | www.envirosight.com
