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
Laser Focus: Safety on the Road at USST
On any given day at U.S. Submergent Technologies (USST), crews mobilizing Class 8 (any vehicle over 33,000 lbs.) commercial vehicles equipped with specialized cleaning equipment, depart from our operations hub in Orlando Florida. Their destinations are wastewater treatment facilities and critical wet infrastructure all over Florida and parts of the Southeast. Their purpose is clear; to safely restore the capacity of wet infrastructure nobody notices but everybody relies upon. When this professional group of experienced and knowledgeable CDL drivers gets on the road, one word, and one thing is at the top of everyone’s list, safety. “At USST, we employ professional CDL drivers because it is a serious business moving heavy equipment and operating commercial vehicles on the road,” said Paul Meding, General Manager at USST. “We scrutinize our drivers based on the highest safety standards and hold them accountable through our company’s Driver and Fleet Safety Program. We focus on ongoing training and providing resources for our drivers to do their best on the roads. The unique type of equipment we’re using every day furthers the need for our emphasis on safety. These efforts lead to better employee productivity and a significant reduction of the risks we must … 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
Over 55 Tons of Material Removed From Municipal Wastewater Plant
USST’s Crew Navigates Tight Spaces and Difficult Access A municipal wastewater treatment plant in Central Florida required regular maintenance on their aeration basin, digester, and headworks to remove built-up sludge, sand, grit, and rag material. U.S. Submergent Technologies (USST) was called in to tackle the job using our powerful and versatile Combination3® Truck and knowledgeable crew. “This was our third time back to this facility for regular maintenance,” said Paul Del Favero, Operations Manager at USST. “Our company track record of safety on the job site and our crews’ ability to understand and overcome problems on the ground are all contributing factors to our outstanding reputation in this industry.” USST’s crew mobilized to the site, bringing with them a powerhouse of knowledge and equipment. Our Combination3® Truck is outfitted with a 49-foot extendable boom, downhole pump, and jetter. The facility’s headworks structure was 25-feet high and because of the extended reach of our Combination3® Truck, the crew was able to safely access the material and remove it expeditiously. In total, just over 55 tons of material were removed from the facility and disposed of off-site. The closed-loop cleaning system of the Combination3® Truck translated to odor and noise control for the facility … Read More
Case Study: 402-Tons of Material Removed from Oxidation Ditch While in Operation
Florida Sand and Grit Grant Program Aides in Restoration Costs PROBLEM: An oxidation ditch at the Lake Wales Wastewater Treatment Plant had accumulated over the course of a few years a large amount of sand and grit material. This accrued material was causing a loss of capacity, a decrease in flow, and the plant was not functioning efficiently. The facility’s treatment process is comprised of a Type 1 Oxidation Ditch operating as a conventional activated sludge treatment facility measuring 320-feet by 70-feet. U.S. Submergent Technologies’ (USST) knowledgeable and experienced crew was called in to clean this large structure while it remained online. SOLUTION: USST’s powerful and versatile Combination3® Truck can clean in wet or dry conditions with no need to drain down or alter treatment flow. Using our 49-foot extendable boom, downhole pump, and outriggers to compensate for a slope against the wall of this structure, crews were able to reach and safely remove the material using the GritGone® Process. This process involves separating sand and grit from the slurry for disposal while the water is returned to the oxidation ditch for treatment. RESULTS: In total, approximately 402-tons of material was removed from the oxidation ditch, the equivalent of 141 fully … Read More
Develop Your Maintenance Program With Confidence
Complete Visibility Leads to Better Stewardship One of the biggest challenges facing America’s wastewater infrastructure is it’s often out of sight, which means there is a high probability it’s also out of mind. Unlike potholes, which cannot be ignored, the condition of our wastewater tanks is not as obvious. In our business, the first step to understanding a problem is being able to see the problem. Since the water in wastewater tanks is turbid or dark water, it’s impossible to see how much and where material has accumulated. Proprietary and confidential. Do not distribute.© 2021 U.S. Submergent Techologies, LLC. All rights reserved. The solution, provided by U.S. Submergent Technologies (USST) is SediVisionTM, a remarkable decision-making tool designed for complete visibility in wastewater tanks. Knowledge gained from SediVisionTM helps managers responsible for the maintenance of critical wet infrastructure allocate precious resources, develop a maintenance program based on accurate data, and target cleaning efforts for an efficient maintenance process. With SediVisionTM, you can avoid setbacks in the scope of work, schedule, budget, and change orders by knowing precisely how much and where the material is in your wastewater tanks. This information is also beneficial in evaluating wastewater treatment plant efficiencies like energy use, water quality, and chemical … Read More
20 Tons of Material Removed From Northwest Florida Wastewater Facility
Challenging Structure Cleaned Safely by USST Crew A wastewater treatment facility in Northwest Florida had a structure that was particularly difficult to access and was full of FOG, sand, grit, and rag material. Their influent trough and effluent channel were suffering from a loss of capacity due to build-up. U.S. Submergent Technologies’ (USST) experienced and well-trained crew was called in to remove this stubborn material. “Due to flow issues, our crew worked at night to resolve this challenging situation. The structure was 30-feet tall and once you are up there, the material was 25-feet down. Safety is the single key factor with any job we perform, and I value our knowledgeable crew members for implementing the utmost precautions and safety measures to get this job done right,” said Paul Del Favero, Operations Manager at USST. USST crews go above and beyond whenever confined space entry is required and follow our company’s detailed Confined Space Program. Crew members ensure that the presence of any atmospheric hazards are eliminated through explosion-proof ventilation, constant monitoring of air quality, and the use of intrinsically safe lighting. Learn more about the culture of safety at USST by clicking here. The USST crew utilized a Davit Arm … Read More
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