Camaraderie & Team Spirit Takeover the FWRC

US SubmergentUSST newsLeave a Comment

2019 OPS CHALLENGE REGIONAL RESULTS If you were to speak to any member of the six teams competing in this year’s Ops Challenge at the 2019 Florida Water Resources Conference, chances are you’d hear them say how thankful they are to be a part of the challenge and the great camaraderie the event fosters.  With two newcomers and a few veteran teams participating in the event’s 27th year, there was plenty of competitive spirit to go around, and we’ve got the 2019 Ops Challenge results. Known as the “Olympics of the Wastewater Industry,” the Ops Challenge follows teams of four as they compete in a series of events, including Process Control, Laboratory, Maintenance, Collections, and Safety in an effort to secure a spot at the national competition at WEFTEC. All five events are representative of the skillset an Operator should have.  Participating in the event also requires coming up with a clever group name.  Returning teams included Positive Influents from Destin, St. Petersburg’s Dirty Birds, JEA Utilities’ Fecal Matters, the Orange County Outlaws, as well as newcomers Sludge Soldiers from Tallahassee, and Polk County’s Biowizards. Brad Hayes, Ops Challenge Director for eight years and member of the committee for 16 … Read More

USST at FWRC, Tampa, FL

US SubmergentUSST newsLeave a Comment

Last week, USST exhibited for the 6th year in a row at this year’s 2019 Florida Water Resources Conference.  Our team had the opportunity to meet and greet with customers from both public and private facilities and we enjoyed speaking with everyone who stopped by the booth. The highlight of the conference is the Florida Regional Ops Challenge, where six teams compete for two spots to showcase their talents in the national challenge this September in Chicago at WEFTEC.   You can read about how each team performed and who is advancing to Nationals in our blog post here. If you missed us at FWRC, you can catch us at the next event.  Keep an eye on our Conferences page which we’ll update as new events are scheduled, or simply give us a call to make an appointment at any time at (844) 765-7688.

1,575-Tons Removed from Oxidation Ditch

US SubmergentServing Public Servants, USST newsLeave a Comment

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

90-Tons Removed from Aeration Basin

US SubmergentServing Public Servants, USST newsLeave a Comment

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

Not Just a Vac Truck: A Multifaceted Approach to Cleaning with One Piece of Equipment

US SubmergentServing Public Servants, USST newsLeave a Comment

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

The Government Shutdown & the Effect It Has Had on Our Environment

US SubmergentUSST newsLeave a Comment

OUR NATION’S WATER, LAND, AND WILDLIFE AT RISK By now, you have most likely heard about the temporary reopening of the government after a monthlong shutdown, the longest in US history.  In case you need a refresher on what has happened beginning December 22, 2018, the Washington Post1 has a great article summarizing everything you need to know.  But just how has the government shutdown impacted our environment so far, and what happens when the short-term deal ends on February 15th? The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), a group dedicated to protecting America’s land, air, and water, is one of the major environmental agencies whose employees had been furloughed since late December.  According to the New York Times2 , inspections that EPA workers would normally have performed had been halted, including the inspections of wastewater treatment plants, chemical factories, power plants, oil refineries, and other industrial-type sites.  These inspections are meant to monitor pollution and ensure compliance. “There are plants that discharge wastewater into streams and rivers, places that store hazardous chemicals in containers that could leak – we show up and test these places to see if they’re meeting pollution laws,” said Garth Connor, a furloughed EPA inspector in … Read More

In the USST Spotlight: Michelle Roberts

US SubmergentUSST newsLeave a Comment

Say hello to Michelle Roberts, our dedicated Client Liaison in North Florida.   Michelle is an expert when it comes to guiding our clients though the sometimes-challenging procurement process as well as assisting local utilities navigate communications with Florida government. Having joined the USST team almost a year ago, we have come to know Michelle for her love of genealogy and enthusiasm to always take on a challenge.  She is a rare, native Floridian and parent to two cats, Lewis and Princess (who she says definitely lives up to her name).  Read on to learn some other surprising details about our team member. Hometown:  Wakulla County.  I was ready to see the world as soon as I turned 18.  I appreciate growing up in Wakulla and having a small-town upbringing, but I prefer the city because I like the hustle and bustle that comes along with it. Favorite Aspect of the Job:  I came from the world of petroleum and now I’m learning the world of wastewater.  This means that I am continuously learning a lot of things, and it’s very challenging, which I enjoy. My Friends Would Describe Me As:  Funny, loyal, and trustworthy. Lessons/Words From _____ That I Live … Read More

3 Oxidation Ditches, 2 Wet Wells… and a Partridge in a Pear Tree

US SubmergentServing Public Servants, USST newsLeave a Comment

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

885-Tons Cleared Out from Storage Tank

US SubmergentServing Public Servants, USST newsLeave a Comment

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

Cleaning For A Reason

US SubmergentUSST newsLeave a Comment

You can’t miss the USST crew out in the field this October; we’ll be sporting bright pink shirts to support Breast Cancer Awareness Month.  This year, USST will be donating a percentage of all purchase orders during the month of October to support Breast Cancer Awareness and Research. Donation will be made to the Florida Breast Cancer Foundation, a nonprofit organization based in Miami, FL and founded in 1993, dedicated to ending breast cancer through advocacy, education and research.  Give us a call to learn more find out how you can help us make a difference: (844)-765-7866.