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Oklahoma Municipal Assurance Group (OMAG) is an interlocal co-operative insurance group serving over 500 Oklahoma cities an towns. In 2018, they started an SL-RAT loan program, which allowed member utilities to loan units at no charge. Although the program was only created two years ago, OMAG’s SL-RAT loan program has already helped 83 Oklahoma utilities acoustically inspect over 2 million linear feet. The acoustic inspection results are giving clarity to users on where to prioritize efforts.
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When the City of Augusta started utilizing the SL-RAT to screen their collection system, they discovered that the SL-RAT generated a lot of valuable data at a rapid pace. They wanted to find a way to manage this process and have this information drive decision-making in the field. Augusta utilized their GIS system and CityWorks to automate this process.
We have quality, valuable information tied to our GIS system, so that you can evaluate things much more easier geographically.
– Jerry Philpot, Technical Support Systems Manager | Augusta, GA
The Spring Edition of CityWorks’ InPrint publication highlights Augusta GA’s ability to streamline work processes through pairing two technologies. By integrating SL-RAT acoustic data with CityWorks software, they have established an automated system that allows for easy understanding and transparency of workflow. Creating such a process has allowed for improved response time to potential causes of SSOs.
“The response time was the biggest benefit for us. We had SL-RAT crews out in the field, and when they found blockages, they routed their inspection work order directly to their cleaning crews.”
– Jerry Philpot, IT & Technical Support Manager for Augusta, GA
The American Society for Testing Materials or ASTM has recently released a new standard based on InfoSense’s Sewer Line Rapid Assessment Tool or SL-RAT® technology for inspecting gravity sewers. The ASTM standard F3220-17, titled “Standard Practice for Prioritizing Sewer Pipe Cleaning Operations by Using Transmissive Acoustic Inspection”, provides a new basis for municipal collection system operators, consulting engineers, and their associated contractors to work from when developing specifications for sewer cleaning and maintenance programs.
From the Significance & Uses Section of the ASTM standard F3220-17 – “Standard Practice for Prioritizing Sewer Pipe Cleaning Operations by Using Transmissive Acoustic Inspection” (Reproduced from the Public Information located at https://www.astm.org/Standards/F3220.htm)
4.1 Significance:
4.1.1 Collection system maintenance requires allocating cleaning resources to the right place prior to system failure (sanitary sewer overflows, mainline blockages, and building backups). Transmissive acoustic inspection provides a tool to assist in allocating cleaning resources by prioritizing pipe segments based on their blockage assessment and thereby facilitating efficient cleaning resource allocation.
4.1.2 This standard practice provides minimum requirements and suggested practices regarding the transmissive acoustic inspection of gravity-fed sewer line blockage assessment to meet the needs of maintenance personnel, engineers, contractors, authorities, regulatory agencies, and financing institutions.
More information on the standard can be found in the link below:
https://www.astm.org/Standards/F3220.htm
About InfoSense
InfoSense manufactures the SL-RAT® in Charlotte, NC. The SL-RAT has inspected over 75 million feet of municipal sewer pipe with over 180 utilities around the world – reducing sewer overflows and saving customers millions of dollars in avoided cleaning costs.
If you would like more information about this topic, please contact Alex Churchill at 877-747-3245 ext. 3 or email at achurchill@infosense.com.