Category Archive

ONE TRUCK, MULTIPLE SETUPS USED TO REMOVE MATERIAL, NO CONFINED SPACE ENTRY REQUIRED FOGs, sand, grit, and rag material had accumulated over time in a Central Florida lift station, reducing its overall capacity.  A buildup of material in a wet well such as this has the potential to cause several issues, including increased pump run times and wear and tear on equipment.  USST was able to perform sand and grit removal from this 20-foot deep lift station in operation very quickly.  Typically, multiple pieces of equipment would be needed to tackle this challenging issue.  Fortunately, USST’s Combination3® truck is more than just a vac truck.  Sporting a vacuum, downhole pump, jetter and extendable boom on one chassis, the Combination3® trucks have the ability to clean in wet or dry conditions in up to eight different setups. “Lift stations are one of our specialties,” said Aaron Hood, one of USST’s knowledgeable Field Supervisors.  “Our equipment is designed to clean in a variety of ways, quickly and safely.  We can remove material at an increased rate without having to put the crew down in the tanks.” In this case, the USST crew first removed FOGs and floating rags from the surface of … Read More

74-TONS OF SAND AND GRIT REMOVAL PERFORMED UNDER CHALLENGING CONDITIONS IN CENTRAL FLORIDA Access issues had prevented a covered splitter box at a Central Florida wastewater treatment facility from being cleaned.  A large amount of accumulated sand and grit had built up over time, and the structure was experiencing reduced capacity. So how was this splitter box cleaned while in service? A splitter box serves to separate influent flow to various structures such as aeration basins or oxidation ditches and can be hard to shut down or bypass flow in order to perform regular maintenance.  “Cleaning a structure while in operation is our specialty,” said Aaron Hood, experienced Field Supervisor at USST.  “This particular splitter box was also covered, adding a layer of complexity to the project, but didn’t prevent us from being able to remove the large quantity of material in a short amount of time.” The 55-foot long by 7-foot wide structure had two access points on top of the tank.  USST crew, along with the powerful Combination3® Truck, was able to employ the jetter to jet material back to the downhole pump positioned at the manhole for removal.  The work was performed in submerged conditions, while remaining … Read More

15-YEARS OF BUILT UP MATERIAL REMOVED IN MOUNT DORA, WHILE IN OPERATION Two structures at the Mount Dora Wastewater Treatment Plant were overdue for cleaning, having built up a significant amount of sand and grit as well as other debris over the last 15-years.  USST crew mobilized to the site armed with the versatile Combination3® Truck, well-prepared to handle the multiple setups needed to complete the project. A large oxidation ditch measuring approximately 50-feet wide by 330-feet in length was the first structure the crew tackled.  While the structure was in full operation, USST utilized the Combination3® Truck’s downhole pump and 49-foot extendable boom combined with the GritGone Process® to remove approximately 287-tons of sand and grit material.  Because the tank did not have to be taken offline or drained down in this case, confined space entry was not required. Next, the USST crew turned to the second structure needing to be cleaned, an oxidation ditch and grit removal chamber measuring approximately 40-feet wide by 130-feet in length.  A drain down was necessary to effectively reach the material, and all work was performed via confined space entry by the USST crew.  The Combination3® Truck’s powerful vacuum technology was utilized to … Read More

HOW 32-TONS OF SAND AND GRIT REMOVAL WAS PERFORMED IN SURCHARGED CONDITIONS U.S. Submergent Technologies (USST) recently performed sand and grit removal services for Miami-Dade’s Department of Transportation and Public Works on a 110-foot section of 60-inch surcharged stormwater pipe which was experiencing reduced capacity due to a buildup of sand. Aaron Hood, one of USST’s veteran Field Supervisors, lead the USST crew through the Miami-Dade project from start to finish, beginning with a pre-cleaning inspection, the removal of sand, and wrapping up with a post-cleaning inspection to confirm the work performed.  To prepare for the cleaning, an inspection was performed using USST’s pipe profiling sonar unit on their combined Sonar/CCTV truck with PACP Certified operator to give the crew visibility to conditions inside 60-inch pipe.  USST’s underwater sonar image provides a preview of sediment build up, visibility to sections of pipe that may be in need of maintenance, and better prepares the crew for the project ahead. “The inspection was performed through an access point in the right of way requiring a Maintenance of Traffic permit, said Aaron.  “One lane of traffic was closed in order to access the upstream manhole.” USST’s unique Combination3® Truck with extended boom, downhole … Read More

22-CUBIC YARDS OF SAND REMOVAL PERFORMED IN CENTRAL FL A Central Florida utility was experiencing reduced capacity in a splitter box due to a significant buildup of sand and grit.  Wastewater treatment facilities typically employ a splitter box to separate influent flow to various structures such as aeration basins or clarifiers.  This Central Florida splitter box had a visible level of sand above the water line that needed to be cleaned, and the structure measured approximately 40-feet by 25-feet.  The utility was also unable to divert flow or take the structure offline, adding another level of complexity to the project. USST crew mobilized to the site, bringing with them a powerhouse of equipment, the Combination3® Truck, outfitted with extended boom, downhole pump, and jetter.  While the splitter box was in full operation, USST utilized the GritGone Process® to remove 22-cubic yards of sand and grit.  Because the box did not have to be taken offline or drained down, risky confined space entry was not necessary. “Cleaning in submerged conditions while in operation is our specialty,” said Denver Stutler, Jr., USST CEO.  “Not having to drain down structures and keep our crew out of confined space allows us to solve problems … Read More

SPEEDY SAND & GRIT REMOVAL PERFORMED IN DAYTONA, FLORIDA An oxidation ditch at the Westside Regional Water Reclamation Facility (WRF) in Daytona Beach, Florida was due for cleaning as part of a larger rehabilitation plan, having built up a significant amount of sand, grit, and vegetation.  Measuring approximately 550-feet long by 120-feet wide with walls 20-feet in height, USST mobilized to the site prepared to perform sand and grit removal services.  The crew completed the job in record time, well-ahead of schedule, motivated, perhaps, by being in the speed capital of the state. “U.S. Submergent [Technologies] completed their work ahead of schedule and with no disruption to the existing plant operations or other construction activities onsite.” – Joe DeHart, Project Manager, PC Construction Paul Del Favero, one of USST’s seasoned Field Supervisors, arrived with a team ready to remove the large quantities of sand, grit, and vegetation material from the oxidation ditch.  A drain down was necessary to effectively reach the material, and all work was performed via confined space entry by the USST crew.   “We follow all safety precautions when performing confined space entry work,” said Paul.  “It’s important to get it right the first time.”  With 80(+) … Read More

RAG & GRIT REMOVAL IN SOUTHEAST, FL An aeration basin at a Southeast Florida Water Reclamation Facility was experiencing reduced capacity and due for maintenance.  Measuring 206-feet in length and divided into eight 24-foot by 24-foot cells, the cleaning of the tank was part of a rehabilitation plan to repair and replace key components of the structure. U.S. Submergent Technologies’ (USST) Field Supervisor, Paul Del Favero, arrived with a team to the site prepared to perform rag and grit removal services.  In order to effectively remove the large quantities of sand, grit and rag material from the aeration basin, a drain down was necessary.  Once the tank was drained, the USST crew came in and vacuumed up the material and performed manual rag removal from the fine bubble diffusers. “Our Combination3® truck sports a vacuum powered by a blower capable of delivering nearly double the CFM of a standard vacuum truck,” Denver Stutler, USST’s CEO, said, “allowing us to remove large amounts of dry material and complete the job quickly.  It’s not your typical vac truck.” Applying their confined space entry training and expertise, the USST crew removed more than 90-tons of total material from the aeration basin and disposed … Read More

107-TONS GRIT REMOVAL IN BAREFOOT BAY Barefoot Bay Advanced Wastewater Treatment Facility (AWWTF) was experiencing reduced plant capacity and due for maintenance on multiple structures as part of its rehabilitation plan for the facility.  Sand, grit, rags, and sludge had accumulated in the 0.9 MGD facility’s equalization tank as well as a 93-feet diameter multi-service tank. Having different types of structures onsite often require different methods of cleaning to get the job done. U.S. Submergent Technologies’ (USST) Combination3® truck is more than just a vac truck.  Sporting a vacuum, downhole pump, jetter and extendable boom on one chassis, USST’s Combination3® trucks have the ability to clean in wet or dry conditions using multiple setups. Getting the Job Done in Barefoot Bay Paul Del Favero, one of USST’s veteran Field Supervisors, arrived with a team to the Barefoot Bay site prepared to remove material from the two structures using two separate methods of removal with one, unique piece of equipment.  The crew used the Combination3® truck’s extended boom and downhole pump to safely and efficiently remove 16-tons of sand and grit from the facility’s multi-service tank which remained in full operation throughout the project.  Due to the extended reach capabilities of … Read More

Multiple Structures in Full Operation While 194-CY Removed Five structures at a Northeast Florida Wastewater Treatment Facility (WWTF) were experiencing reduced capacity due to a buildup of sand and grit.  The WWTF, which manages an average daily flow of nearly 5 MGD, had three oxidation ditches and two wet wells in need of maintenance. Measuring 50-feet wide by 230-feet in length, the three oxidation ditches accumulated a significant amount of sand and grit material.  Aaron Hood, Field Supervisor at U.S. Submergent Technologies® (USST) mobilized the USST crew to the facility and was able to successfully clean all three structures while in full operation and without having to resort to confined space entry. “Cleaning in submerged conditions is USST’s specialty,” said Aaron.  “Our Combination3® truck outfitted with extended boom, downhole pump, and jetter allows us to be extremely efficient in removing material without having to drain down the tank or require confined space entry.” Not having to drain down a tank can save a client valuable time and resources in order to remove material.  USST’s equipment performs best in submerged and surcharged conditions, and tank height is almost never an issue for the Combination3® truck. Two wet wells were also in … Read More

That’s 118,000 Thanksgiving Turkeys! A water reclamation facility in Central Florida was experiencing reduced capacity due to a buildup of sand, grit and rag material in their methane storage tank.  Due to the challenging nature of the 100-foot diameter, 24-foot domed structure, the facility’s tank, which had been converted to an overflow tank, hadn’t been cleaned in several years, resulting in the accumulation of a significant amount of material. With the help of USST’s Combination3® truck, the USST crew removed an astonishing 885-tons, which accounted for a total of 18-feet of material, from the tank in a two-part plan of attack, led by USST’s experienced Field Supervisors, Paul Del Favero and Aaron Hood. “The first part of the plan involved using our downhole pump to remove water and sludge by accessing the material from the roof of the tank,” explained Paul. “We were able to remove the sand and grit and decant an acceptable level of sludge and water back to the plant for treatment using our GritGone Process®, avoiding confined space entry for a majority of the project.” Part-two of the plan involved accessing the remaining sand, grit, sludge, and rag material from an entry point located on the side … Read More