Among the many challenges faced by Utilities across the nation are sewer system overflows, or SSOs. Occurring mostly in the smaller diameter pipes (6-12”) common in residential areas, these are usually caused by grease build up, improperly disposed items, and tree roots infiltrating piping.

In addition to the unpleasant odor and inconvenience caused by the release of excess raw sewage, SSOs can negatively impact both human and environmental health. Needless to say, they undermine the efficiency and public trust of Utilities.

The best way to address SSOs is to prevent them from occurring in the first place, and that requires properly timing inspections and subsequent pipe cleaning operations, which in turn necessitates the often complex coordination of dedicated inspection and cleaning crews.

But limited time and resources means that Utilities cannot afford to do full system sweeps. Thus many facilities rely on a combination of historical data and basic intuition to determine where to allocate resource to perform preventative maintenance.

Unfortunately, the distribution of SSOs can often be random and unpredictable, and common solutions like CCTV can only go so far in detecting and assessing blockages.

It was with these challenges in mind that InfoSense developed the Sewer Line Rapid Assessment Tool, or SL-RAT. This state-of-the-art product offers a fast, mobile, and reliable way to detect blockages, offering accurate results in as little as three minutes.

With its ability to communicate between the TX and RX via RF, the SL-RAT provides first-rate data labeling, data registration, and test validation capabilities. The no-flow contact design reduces operating costs by one-tenth to one-twentieth of CCTV.

The SL-RAT allows Utilities can implement a more cost-effective, condition-based maintenance strategy that significantly reduces SSOs. The tool can also enhance efficiency through focus cleaning efforts, pre-maintenance inspection, the elimination of repeat and downstream overflows, and more.

To learn more about this or Flow Meters Products, call the Avanti Company 800-284-5231 or email info@avanticompany.com.