What's new at the City of Fairfield's Wastewater Treatment Facility?
The Collection System Crew is Utilizing a New Sewer Cleaning Truck
A sewage collection system is a network of piping throughout a city that transports raw sewage to a wastewater treatment facility where it is treated and released safely into the environment. The City of Fairfield's collection system consists of over 175 miles of sewer piping with approximately 4,500 manholes. Cleaning of the sewer lines is necessary to maintain a properly functioning collection system. Currently, the City of Fairfield's Collection System's cleaning schedule has the entire system being cleaned once every 5 years. The facility just purchased a new advanced Sewer Cleaning Truck. The GapVax MC2008.0134 is here and is now being used by the department. As part of the City's "attrition plan", the GapVax replaces the department's Vac Con, which has been passed down to Public Works, and will be used to clean storm sewers.
The "GapVax", pictured above, is equipped with a 2,500 PSI tri-plex water system which provides the hose reel (attached on the front of the truck) the proper water pressure needed to clean a sewer line. The hose real which has a cleaning nozzle attached at the end is lowered down a manhole into the sewer flow line. The water is turned on at a high pressure shooting the nozzle up the flow line to the upstream manhole. The pressure is then turned down and the hose/nozzle is brought back slowly cleaning the line and bringing any debris within the line to the downstream manhole. The rear of the truck is equipped with a positive displacement vacuum system and an attached stainless steel storage tank. The high power vacuum line is lowered down the downstream manhole. The vacuum is run in sequence with the front end, sucking out any debris brought back while cleaning. When the storage tank is full, the truck is taken to the Wastewater Treatment Facility and dumped.
Options of the new GapVax include:
- Single engine: Projected 25% fuel savings
- 28"vacuum pressure: Ability to suck 50' deep
- 2,000 gal Tank Capacity
- 800' Hose Reel
- Cyclone Centrifugal Separator
- 30' Suction Pipe
- International Diamond Logic Interface
- 2011 International 7500 (6X4) SFA - 66,000 lb GVWR
- International MaxxForce 10 (350 HP @ 2000 RPM 2010 Emissions
- Transmission: Allison 3000 RDS-P, 6 Speed
- 8 Cubic Yard Debris Body
- Debris Body Flush Out System
- Liquid Load Indicator
- Stainless Steel Water Tank 2000 Gallons
- Hbon TS56V18V, 5000 CFM, Rated 18" Hg Vacuum Pump
- Water system: 80 GPM at 2500 PSI
- Set to operate at 2500 PSI maximum water system pressure
- Cold weather water re-circulation with mulit-flow
- 1/2" X 50' capacity, Spring Rewind, Rated up to 4000 PSI
- 8" Front Mounted telescoping tube-in-tube boom, 9' telescoping extension
- Remote Lube for all boom grease fittings
- Water level display on control panel and low water pump shut-down
- High Level Debris Light and Alarm
- Body-up & boom-up Warning Lights
- Wireless Remote for Boom, Throttle, and Vacuum
- Hand Spot Light with 25' cord and retractable reel
- Traffic cone holder to hold (5) 28" cones
- DOT Lighting/Fenders/Mud flaps/Body and Tailgate Safety Props
Check out this video to see how a sanitary sewer line is cleaned.