As with many other industries, sewer professionals are having to find unique ways to perform their essential responsibilities while following strict safety and health regulations amidst COVID-19. However, with online workflows, crew members can continue close collaboration, regardless of their geographic location. WinCan recently presented a free webinar to demonstrate how team members can continue to manage and share sewer inspection data instantaneously, even with those working remotely, and to highlight a new breed of cloud-based technology specifically tailored to the sewer industry. 

A sewer rehabilitation plan identifies the work needed on a sewer system and outlines a strategy for how the work is to be completed. While putting a plan together can be time-consuming, it offers a great return on investment, ultimately saving a department time and resources.

The “cloud” refers to applications that run on the internet, instead of on a local computer or piece of equipment. Essentially, when something is running on the cloud it is stored on a remote server (usually multiple copies at multiple locations, actually).

Culy Contracting often works on large wastewater system projects that can take months, or even years, to complete. 

A strong business model requires more than a successful sales team. WinCan works actively to ensure its service group has the tools it needs to provide customers with outstanding support, whatever their needs. And that customer support doesn’t end after the software is successfully deployed — it’s available for as long as the license is active.

Thank you to all who stopped by WinCan's booth at the 2020 WWETT Show in Indianapolis. We enjoyed seeing familiar faces and meeting many new people as well. 

Wastewater systems require routine maintenance and assessment. Yet completing visual inspections of many sewer assets — when accessible — requires dangerous confined space entry; in many cases, it’s impossible for human eyes to look directly on underground assets without digging up lines. Instead, personnel rely on specially designed cameras and equipment to assess the condition of otherwise out-of-sight operations. The equipment used depends on the utility’s needs and budget, but a range of modern technologies provide fast and efficient options for gathering information about a sewer pipe’s condition, while also increasing safety.

Sewer workers face risks daily, whether it’s a confined space work environment or exposure to fumes, debris and bacteria. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 5,250 fatal work injuries were recorded in the U.S. in 2018, which is a 2 percent increase from the previous year. But protecting sewer industry workers from hazards they may encounter on the job goes beyond requiring goggles and gloves.

Manholes give personnel and equipment access to sewer lines for inspection, testing and cleaning. They are built in areas where there is a change in the sewer line direction, slope, elevation, pipe size and junctions. The circular, usually cast iron plates seen on roads across the country cover underground confined spaces that serve a fundamental role in the making and success of a sewer system. 

It can be easy to grow complacent in the wastewater industry. Many pipes in North America are decades or even centuries old, after all. But operators and contractors who pay attention to changing technology and new regulations are better prepared to maximize efficiency and improve their systems for the future.