ecently, a rural municipality in Northern Florida benefitted from the sand and grit grant program and utilized U.S. Submergent Technologies (USST) to clean a substantial amount of built-up sand and grit debris from their wastewater tanks while they remained online.
350 Tons of Material Removed from Basins in Central Florida
A Challenging Environment Calls for Skillful Pros In Central Florida, a 12 MGD reclamation facility was experiencing a loss of capacity in their north aeration and anoxic basins. These tanks presented a challenge because they were lined with rows of diffusers that circulate oxygen feeding the microorganisms and bacteria residents that break down the waste. This job required experienced professionals to access and remove the built-up material, so the customer called on U.S. Submergent Technologies (USST) for a solution. USST has cleaned tanks, pipes, and lift stations on over 400 projects around the United States. Our qualified crews know how to evaluate situations on the ground to get the job done safely and efficiently. “I am proud of our guys for navigating the hard-to-reach environment along the bottom of these tanks and capably removing large amounts of material,” said Eric Pace, Foreman at USST. “Our patented equipment and thorough safety measures allowed us to get into these structures and complete the job safely without any incidents.” At USST, safety is our number one priority, and these structures were vast in size and 20-feet off the ground. By executing a site-specific health and safety plan, our crews implemented confined space entry … Read More
63 Tons of Material Removed from Rural Treatment Plant
Florida Sand and Grit Grant Program Reimburses Restoration Costs A rural community located in Southeast Florida’s Treasure Coast was experiencing capacity issues with their wastewater treatment plant’s multi-tank. Specifically, inside their chlorine contact chamber, which disinfects and treats the wastewater. A considerable amount of debris was clogging up this structure and decreasing efficiency at the plant. This municipal wastewater treatment plant collects and treats more than 500,000 gallons of wastewater per day and met the qualifications for reimbursement through Florida’s Sand and Grit Grant Program, which makes it possible for publicly owned facilities averaging 3MGD or less to address the issues of sand and grit accumulation by reimbursing 50-100% of restoration costs. “U.S. Submergent Technologies (USST) worked with us to help make the process of restoring capacity at our plant as seamless as possible,” said Patrick Nolan, Utilities Manager at the Village of Indiantown. “USST’s knowledgeable crew was professional and completed the job expeditiously while our plant remained online. The funding available through the Florida Sand and Grit Grant program helps rural municipalities like ours continue to serve our community with excellence.” USST came in and removed debris from the 70-foot in diameter, 18-foot-high structure with no need to drain … Read More
977 Tons of Sand Removed From EQ Tank
A Massive Job Calls for USST’s Expert Knowledge A large primary clarifier serving as an equalization tank at a city’s wastewater treatment facility had accumulated 16-foot-high mounds of sand along the bottom, seriously reducing its capacity and potentially passing grit through the treatment process. U.S. Submergent Technologies’ (USST) expertly trained crew set about to handle cleaning this massive 125-foot in diameter structure. “Our knowledgeable crews have a proven keen ability to navigate obstacles on the ground and this job presented some unique challenges,” said Paul Del Favero, Operations Manager at USST. “This tank was huge, it’s covered, and the walls were about 25 feet high, so accessing the material inside was not going to be easy. By utilizing specialized equipment, we were able to set up our process inside the structure and clean out the sand efficiently and without damaging the structure.” Crew members extended hydraulic lines and ran a 120-foot hose setting up a pump to run on our powerful Combination3® Truck. Using our GritGone Process®, USST removed sand and grit while returning decanted water back to the plant for further treatment. The crew used reclaimed water from the facility to clean the structure. All these measures contributed to … Read More
364 Tons of Material Removed from Town’s Wastewater Plant
USST Crew Responds to Changed Conditions Adeptly In rural Northeast Florida, a municipal wastewater treatment plant operating at .4 MGD was reaching critical capacity loss with their surge tank. This large multi-chamber tank, which is essential to the overall health and functionality of daily operations at the plant, required cleaning. U.S. Submergent Technologies (USST) was called in to assess the structure and remove the buildup of sand and grit throughout this wastewater tank. “This project was estimated to have 36 tons of material in the tank, but once we got on-site, we were dealing with at least seven feet of material along the bottom of this structure, much more than originally expected,” said Paul Stephenson, Foreman at USST. “Combining our experience and knowledge from cleaning hundreds of wastewater tanks, our crew was able to handle several challenges presented on the ground with accessing and removing the material in the safest and most efficient manner possible.” USST’s versatile Combination3® Truck has a 49-foot extendable boom, which was necessary to reach over the tank’s 20-foot wall, and by extending a 150-foot hose to our truck’s powerful vacuum, the crew reached and disposed of 23 loads of material. In total, 364 tons of … Read More
Case Study: 630-Tons of Sand & Grit Removed from Oxidation Ditches
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
Clean large diameter pipe while in service
Over 4,800 Feet of Large Diameter Pipe Cleaned and Inspected While in Operation In Central Florida, U.S. Submergent Technologies (USST) cleaned and inspected over 1,900 linear feet of 36” pipe and 2,800 linear feet of 48” pipe. Our patented and versatile Combination3® Truck allowed USST to clean these large diameter pipes while they remained in service, with no need for bypass or shutdown. During the 2020 rainy season, pipe systems were put to the test with additional flows from rainfall. This stretch of pipe was along a major thoroughfare and could not be taken out of service which presented unique challenges that only USST’s patented technology could resolve. Using our phased approach of See, Clean, & VerifyTM, 276 tons of sand and grit were removed while remaining in operation. Our SediVisionTM technology allowed USST’s crew to provide a post-cleaning inspection and verify for the customer that their pipe capacity was fully restored. SAFETY FIRST WHILE CLEANING PIPES IN SERVICE “When going into a job like this safety is our number one priority. Through extensive and ongoing training, the principle of safety is embedded into the function of every single crew member,” said Aaron Hood, Operations Manager at USST. “Our experience … Read More
Case Study: Davie, FL – 20-Foot High Tank Cleaned While in Full Operation
Problem: A wastewater treatment facility located in the Town of Davie, FL was experiencing increased energy costs due to reduced capacity and treatment efficiency from accumulated sand and material in their infrastructure. Solution: In early 2018, the facility sought assistance from U.S. Submergent Technologies (USST) to remove the material as part of the Town of Davie’s Capital Improvement Program, a facility which handles an average daily flow of around 3MGD. Using USST’s extended boom and Combination3® technology, the material removed was immediately ready for disposal. With jetter, vacuum, downhole pump and 49-foot knuckleboom fully integrated on one chassis, USST’s Combination3® technology delivers a powerful punch in the submergent cleaning industry. No additional equipment or tools were needed to be brought in, saving time and resources for the client. Results: USST removed more than 180-CY of sand and material from Davie’s 20-foot high surge tank while it remained in full operation. Paul Del Favero, USST’s Field Supervisor, lead the USST crew in completing the Davie project efficiently and on schedule. 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 … Read More
Case Study: Tampa, FL – Taking a 115 Degree Turn Under a River: 70-CY Removed from 660-Feet of Pipe
Problem: A 300-foot section of interceptor sewer pipe running alongside the Hillsborough River in the City of Tampa was experiencing reduced capacity due to a buildup of sand and grit. Access to the interceptor pipe was an issue due to the hard 115 degree turn of the connecting siphon. Solution: In mid-2018, the City of Tampa sought assistance from U.S. Submergent Technologies (USST) to remove the material. USST setup downstream on the southeast bank of the Hillsborough River. In order to access the 300-foot 48-inch diameter interceptor sewer pipe, the USST crew had to maneuver through a 360-foot 36-inch diameter siphon and parallel 20- inch diameter siphon under the river, with a 115-degree change in direction. USST’s unique Combination3® truck with extended boom, dripless tube system, and jetter were utilized to travel the 360-foot length of siphon, navigate the 115-degree turn, and remove material from 300-feet of interceptor sewer pipe. Results: Almost 70-cubic yards of sand and grit was removed from the pipes, restoring more than 26% of its capacity, all while remaining in full operation. “The exceptional ability of our equipment to make a 115-degree turn in submerged conditions and remove a significant amount of material while remaining operational is what separates us from others in … Read More
Case Study: Tallahassee, FL – One Truck, One Tool 23-Foot Deep Lift Station Cleaned While in Operation
Problem: Tallahassee’s Summerbrooke 23-foot deep lift station was due for scheduled maintenance, needing both FOGs on the surface and sand and grit on the bottom removed. Solution: USST’s patented Combination3® truck with extended boom, downhole pump, and jetter mobilized to the site, and allowed crew to remove debris from both the surface of the water and bottom of the structure without additional equipment or repositioning. USST utilizes downhole pumping (in submerged or normal flow) or vacuum (in dry or low flow) as required and is equipped to switch between the two methods in any circumstance, with minimal downtime. The USST crew first removed the FOG layer off the top of Tallahassee’s Summerbrooke lift station with vacuum and utilized the downhole pump to remove all residual material off the bottom of the lift station while it remained in full operation. Results: USST’s Combination3® extended reach boom provided the reach required during the job, preventing hazardous work conditions. Almost 8-cubic yards was removed from the 23-foot deep wet well, and the job was completed safely, efficiently, and ahead of schedule. “Our truck is uniquely equipped to solve lift station challenges,” said Denver Stutler, Jr., co-founder and CEO of USST. “Oftentimes, you don’t know what to … Read More