Inflow and infiltration negatively impact public health and the environment and result in higher wastewater treatment costs. Based in Green Bay, Wisconsin, Great Lakes TV Seal has been inspecting, cleaning and repairing underground pipelines for municipalities, paper mills, landfills and other industrial applications in Wisconsin and the upper peninsula of Michigan since 1984. 

Supported by more than 20 employees, the company also handles cementitious coating and epoxy coating work, chemical grouting, CIPP and spot repairs, hydro cutting, hydroexcavating, lateral connection repairs, lateral lining and robotic cutting work.

When it comes to no-dig pipeline repair and rehabilitation work, the family-run company is committed to getting the job done quickly and efficiently. Their team uses a Vactor 2100 Plus sewer cleaner equipped with a water recycling system on I&I control projects to help clean pipes in preparation for TV inspection and rehabilitation work. The Vactor 2100 Plus operates at full capacity year-round. 

“For inflow and infiltration, the Vactor water recycling system is a helpful tool for prepping the pipe,” said Brett Healy, co-owner of Great Lakes TV Seal. “For us, the ultimate advantages of the system are water conservation and productivity.”

Available as an option on the Vactor 2100i combination sewer cleaner, the Vactor water recycling system reuses water already in the sewer to clean lines and help fight I&I and prevent overflows, providing the potential to eliminate the need for clean water and saving thousands of gallons of clean water during every shift.

Healy, who has worked for the family business since before he was in high school, says Vactor’s water recycling system also delivers ample jetting power needed to clear and maintain lines and open obstructions such as roots, grease and other debris.

Increased operator productivity

Vactor’s exclusive water recycling system can increase operator productivity by up to 100 percent, enabling operators to clean twice the number of lines. This productivity gain is the result of eliminating time spent refilling the water tank, including the time spent breaking the job site down and driving to a hydrant or facility to refill the tank. 

“We don’t need to stop work to go fetch water to refill the water tank on the sewer cleaner, so we save anywhere from three to five hours a day on the job. The water recycling system adds anywhere from 20 to 30 percent to our overall productivity,” Healy says. “In some remote areas where we work, we’re at least 30 to 45 minutes away from the nearest source of water.”

Reduced operating costs

Communities protect people and the environment through maintenance of their sewer systems to prevent overflows, thereby avoiding the potential health risks and financial penalties associated with those overflows. Healy said the ability to recycle the water used for sewer cleaning maximizes existing resources and reduces operating costs. 

Performing routine inspection and cleaning is the best way to keep a sewer or storm system working properly. For the team at Great Lakes TV Seal, the Vactor 2100 Plus sewer cleaner equipped with the water recycling system results in a more sustainable, productive and economical inflow and infiltration prevention program. 

To learn more about the water recycling system that Great Lakes TV Seal uses for its I&I control projects, click here.