U.S. EPA Study Validates SL-RAT Technology
A U.S. EPA report validating the SL-RAT technology was published this week:
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Several pertinent excerpts are included below:
“The results of this demonstration of the SL‐RAT show promise for the application of this technology as a tool for cost‐effective, pre‐cleaning assessment and post‐cleaning quality assurance. The application of this technology in an overall collection system O&M program should enable wastewater utilities to optimize their sewer cleaning efforts and free up valuable resources to more effectively implement critical CMOM and asset management programs.”
“Rapid assessment approaches and tools provide an avenue to significant pre‐cleaning inspection cost savings that could be achieved through reduced inspection and non‐productive cleaning costs.”
“The emergence of acoustic sewer inspection technologies, like SL‐RAT, as rapid deployment, low‐cost, reliable, pre‐cleaning assessment tools is focusing growing attention on the potential for more cost‐effective sewer cleaning programs. Through the ease of deployment, reduction of cost, increases in reliability of these inspection approaches, combined with the potential for reducing the “cleaning of clean pipes,” significant cost savings are attainable. As utilities apply these new inspection technologies, they can move towards implementing sewer cleaning programs that consist of planned directed and quick response, reactive cleaning. Also, these cost savings can be realized while improving collection system performance and the protection of public health and water quality.”
“The results of this demonstration project reveal the potential for more cost‐effective sewer cleaning programs. The site specific pre‐cleaning assessment inspection costs resulting from this project and MSDGC’s historic practices for CCTV (on‐road), CCTV (off‐road), and SL‐RAT (on‐and off‐road) are $1.68/ft., $2.03/ft., and $0.14/ft., respectively. So, for pre‐cleaning assessment, the application of the SL‐RAT can reduce MSDGC’s costs by $1.54/ft. for on‐road sewers and $1.89/ft. for off‐road sewers. In addition, by moving to a sewer cleaning program predominated by planned directed cleaning, MSDGC can save $2.00/ft. by reducing its “cleaning of clean pipe.” In total, when costs of conventional CCTV inspection and cleaning are combined, for each pipe segment that is deemed “clean” using the SL‐RAT, MSDGC can save $3.54/ft. for on‐road sewers and $3.89/ft. for off‐road sewers.”