As the fiscal year comes to an end for many municipalities, it’s a good time to address any outstanding maintenance needs. Prioritizing storm and sewer system maintenance can help ensure your most critical infrastructure is in good condition and ready for the storm season ahead, while also easing budget implications in future years.
Storm and sewer systems are complex, and annual servicing needs often extend beyond an inspection. Regular cleaning, assessments, planning, and rehabilitation services are all essential to keep your systems performing great. Here are important year-end considerations that will extend the lifespan of your storm and sewer systems while protecting your community.
Cleaning And Inspection Services
Storm and sewer systems are recommended to be cleaned and inspected every 2-3 years to maintain integrity and performance. Routine cleanings will keep systems clear and debris-free, while inspections will uncover issues before they transform into costly failures. Cleaning and inspection services will ultimately reduce the risk of flooding, environmental contamination, and property damage while maintaining compliance.
At Atlantic Pipe Services (APS), we perform comprehensive system inspections to gain a complete understanding of its condition and identify blockages, cracks, or other potential problems. This includes a mix of exploratory diving, pipe video inspection (CCTV), and GPS coordinates/surveying.
Following detailed inspections, we clear the entire system using a combination of pipe cleaning (vacuuming, jetting) and underwater dredging to remove any blockages and ensure adequate hydraulic capacity.
Proactive Maintenance and Hurricane Preparedness
Proactive maintenance is highly important, and there are some extra steps to take when it comes to preparing for hurricane season. Your storm system is the first line of defense when a big storm hits. Hurricanes can also overwhelm sewers, which can result in environmental hazards. As a result, it’s important to make sure both are inspected and repaired prior to peak hurricane season. Here are some key considerations.
- Storm Pipe Maintenance – Your storm pipes must be capable of maintaining significant hydraulic capacity to keep your community safe. If it’s been a while since your pipes have been serviced, now is the best time to perform maintenance and cleaning.
- Lift Station and Wet Well Maintenance – Your lift station collects waste or stormwater and expels it to higher ground. The last thing you want is for it to underperform during a big storm. The wet well should be drained and thoroughly cleaned to ensure that sediment and debris are removed.
- Cleaning Outfalls – Vegetation thrives around outfalls, so it’s easy for these systems to become overgrown and clogged. Routine cleaning and pipe dredging can help ensure these systems can adequately expel water.
Performing high-priority maintenance before storm season hits can help keep your residents and property safe.
Assessment Services
While inspections can help catch potential problems, full system assessments can give you a comprehensive view of the condition and quality of your underground infrastructure. An assessment will include a detailed inspection report and a repair recommendation log.
A good strategy is to have 10% of your system assessed each year, so that the entire pipe system is assessed every 10 years. Setting up an annual assessment as the fiscal year comes to a close is an effective way to ensure your entire system is well-maintained.
Planning
If you don’t have a well-defined maintenance plan for your storm or sewer system, now is the right time to start planning, especially if you’re getting ready to set next year’s budget. You can use the results of your assessment to plan the maintenance, cleaning, and inspection services, as well as the budget you need each year. Creating a regular maintenance plan is the most effective way to keep your system functioning well while managing costs.
Rehabilitation Services
If you have aging or damaged infrastructure, allocating remaining budget toward rehabilitation services or trenchless underground infrastructure repairs could be a good investment. APS offers free site visits and consultation, and a wide range of rehabilitation services that can help your system work at peak efficiency.
- CIPP Pipelining – A minimally invasive trenchless underground infrastructure repair involves a coated liner that is inserted into an existing pipe and cured.
- Manhole Rehabilitation – The process of repairing stormwater or sewer system manholes to increase public safety and prevent inflows and flooding.
- Pressure Grouting – Involves injecting grout into cracks or joints to stop leaks and stabilize structures.
- Sectional Liners – Another trenchless underground infrastructure repair solution that involves fixing an isolated section, rather than an entire pipe.
- Joint Seals – Reinforce any gaps between joints or connections in pipe sections to stop both infiltration and exfiltration.
From professional inspections and assessments to non-destructive trenchless underground infrastructure repair, APS helps municipalities across Florida maintain high performing storm and sewer systems. Contact us to discuss how we can help your municipality today.
