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for Wade's current SSES and I/I programs.

Like many other communities, Tulsa, Oklahoma's first Sanitary Sewer Evaluation Study satisfied an EPA consent order, but didn't bring about a noticeable decrease in overflows. During a recent study though, Wade & Associates helped them locate all the problems within the system before starting rehabilitation instead of spot-fixing isolated problems.

Flow Monitoring Programs and Surveys

Our team of experienced engineers and field technicians can conduct a wide variety of flow monitoring programs to target areas within the collection system that need further investigation and rehabilitation. Our field teams have extensive experience with flow meters, including installation, calibration, and data analysis. We can also assist you with meter site selection and rainfall monitoring.

For example, in Clinton, MO, a study was conducted to measure and quantify the amounts of normal base (dry-weather) flow, infiltration, and inflow (I/I) that enter into each of the City's eight (8) drainage basins by installing, calibrating and servicing flow meters and then analyzing the data that was collected.

Manhole Inspections & Visual Pipe Inspections

To ensure the most cost-effective rehab of your collection system, we emphasize those field activities that identify inflow, as opposed to infiltration. Since we've found that 50% or more of inflow enters into municipal sewer systems through manhole structures, we typically begin here. We target manholes for follow-up rehabilitation and help you develop utility maps of your system, a rehab schedule and an engineer's estimate for construction, if necessary.

Our trained inspection teams follow the latest OSHA regulations on confined space entry. During these inspections, we lamp all incoming and outgoing lines to spot early signs of pipe deterioration, root intrusion, deposition, and other defects associated with excessive I/I or structural deterioration.

Manhole Inspections
FAQ

When manhole defects ranging from leaking, vented manhole covers or failed frame seals to manholes with severe structural deficiencies were found to be significant contributors of I/I in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, Stockwell Engineers retained Wade & Associates to provide direction and support for a manhole rehabilitation project involving 1,500 manholes. The firm provided training and quality control for the inspection program as well as the hydraulic modeling that followed.

Smoke Testing

We use state-of-the-art equipment to conduct smoke testing (or rain simulation tests) of your collection system. This allows us to locate most inflow sources that cause sewer systems to overflow and bypass during significant storm events. We will prepare an effective public relations program that will minimize public concern where smoke enters into private residences through plumbing defects. 

Smoke Test FAQ

All defects are carefully documented for follow-up rehabilitation. The Lake Cities Metropolitan Utility Authority (Lake Dallas, TX) selected Wade & Associates to conduct smoke testing of 112,000 feet of sanitary sewers in order to locate, document and characterize defects within the sewer system. At the conclusion of the tests, Wade submitted full documentation of the work performed including hard copies of all field forms, photographs, and tabular summaries.

Building Inspections

If evidence shows the potential for significant I/I from private property, our crews can conduct comprehensive building inspections to pinpoint unwanted I/I connections to the municipal sewer system-all at minimal disturbance to building residence. Studies show that more than 50% of I/I can enter into the sewer system from the private sector. Combined with smoke testing and follow-up dyed-water testing, building inspections can effectively locate these sources.

Building Surveys
Building FAQ

The Fort Scott, KS collection system had been experiencing excessive wet-weather induced wastewater flows. When Wade & Associates conducted building inspections, they found 3,500 to 4,000 building properties that had service laterals connected to the collection system, and the majority of homes in the system had basements.

CCTV Inspections

Where smoke testing and visual pipe inspections do not indicate the extent of a particular I/I source, CCTV inspections can provide the information cities need to quantify the connections and determine the best repair method. Often, our field team will pre-clean line segments targeted for TV inspection. Observations are videotaped and documented in a computer database for further analysis.

In Fort Worth, TX, the small diameter cleaning project of 320,000 lf  of 6- to 15-inch pipe included CCTV inspection of 60,000 lf, which, after analysis, resulted in specific rehabilitation recommendations for 40,000 lf of sewer pipeline.

Dyed-Water Testing

During some TV inspections, crews will concurrently dye test selected locations to aid in the detection of a specific I/I source. Dyed-water testing is also used to confirm I/I connections from private property.

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