Case Study: 630-Tons of Sand & Grit Removed from Oxidation Ditches

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Florida Sand and Grit Grant Program Covers Restoration Costs PROBLEM: Two oxidation ditches at two wastewater treatment plants serving the City of Mount Dora were due for cleaning, having accumulated a significant amount of sand, grit, and debris over 15-years. This loss of capacity was increasing energy costs and reducing efficiency at these treatment plants. U.S. Submergent Technologies’ (USST) knowledgeable crew was called-in with our versatile Combination3® Truck, able to handle multiple setups to complete these projects. SOLUTION: A large oxidation ditch measuring approximately 50-feet wide by 330-feet in length was the first structure our crew tackled. While this oxidation ditch was in full operation, USST utilized the Combination3® Truck’s downhole pump and 49-foot extendable boom combined with our GritGone Process® to remove approximately 287-tons of sand and grit material. The tank did not have to be drained down or taken offline for our crew to perform the cleaning. The second oxidation ditch measured approximately 40-feet wide by 130-feet in length, and a drain down was necessary to effectively reach the material. Our experienced crew safely executed confined space entry protocols and procedures to clean this structure. RESULTS: In total, approximately 630-tons of material was removed from these two structures … Read More

20-Foot High Tank Cleaned While in Operation

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180-CY Removed in Davie, Florida   Capacity was recently restored to the Town of Davie’s WWTP as part of their Capital Improvement Program, a facility which handles an average daily flow of around 3MGD.  More than 180-CY of sand and material was removed from Davie’s 20-foot high surge tank while it remained in full operation.  Using USST’s extended boom and Combination3® technology, the material removed was immediately ready for disposal. John McGeary has resided as Chief Operator of the Town of Davie’s WWTP for almost five years, and has 38 years’ experience in the wastewater industry.  He says “[I was] pleased with the professionalism and the efficiency of the operation. We also liked the initial dryness of debris removed during the process.” With jetter, vacuum and downhole pumping with 49-foot knuckleboom fully integrated on one truck chassis, USST’s Combination3® technology delivers a powerful punch in the submergent cleaning industry.  No additional equipment or tools are needed to be brought in, saving time and resources for the client. Paul Del Favero, USST’s Field Supervisor, lead our crew in completing the Davie project efficiently and on schedule.  Paul Stephenson, Michael Kisling and Donald Barnes were also part of our hardworking team onsite.  … Read More

2,500-Feet of Large Diameter Pipe Cleaned

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Access Issues Not An Issue   USST is currently working for the City of Orlando removing sand, grit and material from 2,500 feet of 48-inch sanitary sewer pipe near Kirkman Road, leading to the City’s Conserv II Water Reclamation Facility. The City of Orlando’s project manager, Charlie Conklin, P.E., says “I am very happy with their performance on this project, and I’m looking forward to utilizing their services on the next phase of this project and other future projects.” Access issues on the project included hard-to-reach manholes located on the opposite side of Shingle Creek. Access for equipment was also challenging as the crew had to navigate through narrow access points to reach certain areas of the job. These difficulties could have been problematic, however, the USST crew adjusted their approach and utilized our Combination3® technology to easily overcome the obstacles in order to reach the job site and get the work done efficiently and safely. USST’s Combination3® technology engages jetter, vacuum and downhole pumping with 49-foot knuckleboom fully integrated on one truck chassis, creating a powerhouse of equipment in the submergent cleaning industry. No additional equipment or tools are needed to be brought in, saving both time and resources … Read More

Lift Station Maintenance Made Easy

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REDUCE THE RISK OF SANITARY SEWER OVERFLOW IN WET WELLS Wet well and lift station maintenance are a frequent source of concern for most wastewater collection systems. Performing regular maintenance can be difficult due to access challenges, costs associated with shutting down pumps, and confined space entry permitting and safety issues.   Wastewater systems rely on lift or pump stations to transport collected wastewater to a treatment plant.  Lift or pump stations typically include two to three pumps for redundancy — all of which require periodic inspection and maintenance.  More often than not, a wastewater facility may only have one operable pump. Additionally, the water elevation in a wet well cannot be lowered in high-flow conditions such as heavy rain periods or during tourist seasons. With one operating pump, traditional maintenance can seem nearly impossible. However, in order to reduce pump run time, reduce energy costs, and prevent debris from accumulating and creating new issues downstream, lift station maintenance is critical.    Performing regular lift station maintenance reduces the risk of sanitary sewer overflow (SSO), a scenario where untreated wastewater is discharged from a sewer into the environment before reaching a wastewater treatment facility. SSO can have extremely negative consequences for the … Read More

Facility Remains in Full Operation While Cleaned

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Capacity Restored in Charlotte County The Burnt Store Water Reclamation Facility (WRF) treats wastewater from more than 1,200 sewer connections in a southeastern portion of Charlotte County.  Acquired by Charlotte County in 2003, the former 0.25 millions of gallons per day (MGD) facility underwent several upgrades, including doubling its treatment capacity to 0.5 MGD, as well as enabling the facility to simultaneously dispose of reject water and excess effluent produced by the plant.   USST removed 21-cubic yards of sand and grit from three structures at Charlotte County’s Burnt Store WRF.  Thanks to our GritGone Process®, the facility remained in full operation while the debris was removed. John Thompson Jr., Chief Plant Operator at the Burnt Store WRF says, “The project that U.S. Submergent did for us was wonderful.  They not only helped with our grant application, but their crews were very accommodating and […] professional.” Accessing particularly tall tanks, like Burnt Store’s 30(+)-foot EQ tank, can be challenging.  Luckily, our Combination3® trucks are equipped with a 49-foot knuckle boom crane with telescoping tubes.  This eliminated the need for additional equipment on the jobsite, saving the facility valuable time and money. Got hard-to-reach places that need cleaning?  Interested in learning … Read More

Energy Savings Through the GritGone Process

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Cleaning your tanks is not only important to restore capacity, but it also has potential to save on energy, which cuts costs down the road. Sand and grit is a heavy solid with a specific gravity greater than 1, so it accumulates and settles to the bottom of the tanks. The system then has to work harder to keep the sand suspended and allow oxygen to flow through the system to treat the water. Over time, this can drastically increase costs and detention times. U.S. Submergent Technologies recently conducted an energy analysis for a facility that used the GritGone Process® for residuals and debris removal. We found that in this particular instance, our customer is able to recoup their costs for our sand and grit removal service in energy savings in approximately less than two weeks. See a detailed analysis below: If your plant can benefit from the energy savings the GritGone Process® can produce, call for a free quote at (844) 765-7866.  

U.S. Submergent Technologies Enters Manufacturing Agreement with Wayne Industrial Holdings

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New relationship will increase production of proprietary Combination³ trucks June 8, 2015 – Sarasota, FL – U.S. Submergent Technologies announces the entering of a manufacturing agreement with Iowa-based Wayne Industrial Holdings, LLC. The agreement increases production of US Submergent’s proprietary equipment and allows the company to continue their expansion. USST’s unique combination trucks are designed to remove debris from collection and treatment system structures without taking them offline. The equipment overcomes the limitations of vacuum technology and has the potential to save customers time and money.   “This agreement provides an opportunity to increase our ability to build and deliver our Combination³® capabilities in the market,” says USST CEO Denver J. Stutler, Jr. “We are pleased Wayne shares the same commitment to quality, safety and schedule.”   Wayne Industrial Holdings (WIH) has been in business for nearly 50 years and makes the most advanced line of refuse trucks and street sweepers in the industry. They currently have dealer locations all over the country.  “I am very pleased to partner with (them) to manufacture their revolutionary new product,” stated Wayne Chairman Ira J. Perlmuter. “Our team is very excited about partnering with (them) in offering this new equipment to our distributor network,” said Kevin Watje, Wayne Engineering … Read More

What’s in the Tank?

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U.S. Submergent Technologies boasts its ability to remove sand and grit while the plant remains in full operation, and our equipment has a proven success track to back this claim. But what if we aren’t talking about sand and grit? Let’s take a look at what other materials can be settled at the bottom of the tank and how the GritGone Process® can handle them. The types of material found at the bottom of the tank varies depending on which stage it is in the wastewater treatment process. For example, in the anaerobic zone, the accumulated material may not be only sand, but it could also be biosolids, depending on the process and how much time has passed since the last cleaning. The GritGone Process® can remove material that has specific gravity values greater than water. The specific gravity of biosolids is less than water, but sand, grit and other accumulated materials have a specific gravity greater than water. Can the GritGone Process® Remove Biosolids too? The GritGone Process® removes nearly all accumulated material at the bottom of a structure using our proprietary downhole system. Through our process, pressure separates the material with a specific gravity greater than water from … Read More