Category Archive

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

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

Problem A shipping barge berthed at Port Arthur, TX, had a hardened heavy oil/asphalt petroleum product at the bottom of its three compartments of over 30,000 barrels of capacity (total). The client had been trying to remove the material for several months, without success. Because the product had been settled for some time, it had the consistency of rubber and could not be easily removed. Beginning in December of 2013, numerous unsuccessful attempts at cleaning the barge had been made, but nothing seemed to work. Solution In July 2014, the barge owners contacted U.S. Submergent Technologies – TX (USST) to see if they could remove the material from the barge. USST provided their new 360-HD Combination3® Truck and set up at the site. After extending their proprietary downhole pumping system to the product, the USST crew was able to recirculate and soften the material. Using their powerful Combination3® system, USST was able to remove the material and pump it into dockside vacuum boxes. Results Over 75,000 gallons (almost 300 tons) of petroleum product was removed and the barge’s capacity was restored. The work was accomplished in just 5 days, with almost no disruption of dock activities. The client was very … Read More

Problem: Miami-Dade’s Department of Transportation and Public Works needed to restore capacity to a 110-foot section of 60-inch stormwater pipe which was experiencing reduced capacity due to a buildup of sand. Solution: 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. The inspection was performed through an access point in the right of way requiring a Maintenance of Traffic permit; one lane of traffic was closed in order to access the upstream manhole. USST’s unique Combination3® truck with extended boom, downhole pump, and jetter were utilized to travel the 110-foot length of pipe. The crew accessed the pipe from the outfall in the Miami River and cleaned towards the upstream manhole, removing sand while under surcharged conditions. Water from inside the pipe was used during USST’s GritGone Process® and no outside water source or drain down was needed to complete the project. A post-cleaning inspection was also completed by USST to confirm all material had been removed. Results: 32-tons of sand were removed from the pipes, restoring approximately 30% of its capacity and without having to … Read More

Problem A wastewater treatment facility located in the City of Jasper, FL was experiencing increased energy costs due to reduced capacity and treatment efficiency from accumulated sand and grit in their infrastructure. More than 44-tons of sand and grit was removed from the facility. Solution The facility sought assistance from U.S. Submergent Technologies (USST) to remove the material. USST restored the capacity of the City of Jasper’s 1.2 MGD wastewater treatment plant by safely removing 44 tons of sand and grit from nine of their structures. During the debris removal process, USST’s dependable crew worked carefully to avoid damaging any of the facility’s diffusers. Results Thanks to USST’s GritGone Process® for debris removal, the Jasper facility was cleaned while remaining in full operation and the material was paint filter dry upon onsite disposal. Jasper Public Works Director, Harry Davis, was very pleased and said, “The work was done in a very professional manner.” View the full case study here.

Problem The City of Orlando, Florida s 48-inch sanitary sewer pipe near Kirkman Road, leading to the City’s Conserv II Water Reclamation Facility had lost capacity due to an accumulation of sand, grit, and material.  Challenging access issues on the project included hard-to-reach manholes located on the opposite side of Shingle Creek. Solution The facility sought assistance from U.S. Submergent Technologies (USST) in early 2018 to remove the material.  Access for equipment was challenging as the USST 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 USST s 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 needed to be brought in, saving both time and resources for the client. Results Paul Del Favero and Michael Kisling of the USST crew lead the Orlando project, cleaning out grit, rags and small rocks from the 2,500-foot … Read More

Problem: A splitter box at a Central Florida utility was experiencing reduced capacity 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. Solution: 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 sand and grit material. Results: 22 total cubic yards of sand and grit was removed from the splitter box. 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 … Read More

7,173-FEET CLEANED, 180-TONS (EST.) OF SAND REMOVED WITH NO BYPASS After experiencing a series of overflows upstream, the City of Tampa was looking to clean sand and grit out of the Bayshore Gravity Sewer while in service.  Without the ability to bypass the line or divert flow, USST performed the work under submerged conditions in the 27-inch and 30-inch pipe. Aaron Hood, one of USST’s experienced Operations Managers (read more about Aaron here!), led the USST crew on the Bayshore project, cleaning more than 7,000-feet of pipe.  “We used our Combination3® truck outfitted with extended boom, downhole pump, and jetter to travel the length of the pipe and remove sand, grit, and some rag material,” said Aaron.  “The crew did a great job managing the high production rate and we performed all work while the line was in operation.” No confined space entry was necessary due to USST’s patented equipment and process, saving the City time and money while ensuring a safe jobsite for the crew.  There was minimal intrusion into the surrounding neighborhood during the project due to the closed loop cleaning system of the Combination3® technology, which meant less odor and noise for nearby residences. Tampa’s Bayshore project … Read More

CLEANING DOWNSTREAM, NAVIGATING 90-DEGREE TURN IN 30-INCH GRAVITY SEWER USST recently completed work on a 1,200-foot section of 30-inch gravity sewer located under a major roadway which was experiencing reduced capacity due to a buildup of sand and grit.  The facility had explored a number of options but was unable to solve the issue due to safety, time, and cost concerns.  Because the line was unable to be shutdown, USST was able to solve the problem and perform sand and grit removal while in operation, under flow. USST Foreman Michael Kisling led the crew on the project, ensuring all material was removed, following up with a post-cleaning inspection.  The crew encountered unexpected access concerns when beginning the project.   One of the manholes planned for access during cleaning was discovered to have limitations for USST’s equipment and was unable to be used.  “In order to overcome the restricted access, we jetted material back to an accessible manhole using the Combination3® Truck,” said Michael.  “It required us to clean from a downstream manhole while navigating a 90-degree turn, removing material while under flow.” After the material was removed, an inspection was performed while the line was in full operation using USST’s pipe … Read More