GPRS Project Manager Tyler Papworth was recently tasked with investigating a nature park’s wastewater infrastructure.
The problem was that the access points for the 10,000 linear feet of sewer system within the park were scattered throughout rugged environment, most of which is inaccessible to any type of vehicle.
“This job was a first for me,” Papworth said. “Definitely a challenge. The main challenge for this project was transporting equipment to manholes."
Normally, GPRS conducts sewer inspections out of our specially equipped video pipe inspection vehicles, which power our mainline sewer scope and lateral launch crawlers.
However, we know that your projects aren’t always located in areas that are easily accessible. For conducting sewer inspections in hard-to-reach environments, GPRS Project Managers are equipped with specialized mobile carts that allow us to bring our VPI services to where they’re needed.
These carts have everything we need to conduct the sewer video inspection services needed to ensure the integrity of your wastewater infrastructure. This ensures generators to power our remote-controlled crawlers.
“We were able to get to all the access points in this rugged environment,” Papworth said. “We were able to collect video in areas that other sewer inspection companies could not access using our mobile setup.”
GPRS video pipe inspections are conducted by our NASSCO-certified Project Managers. NASSCO stands for the National Association of Sewer Service Companies, a not-for-profit organization that provides industry-leading training on the most advanced, non-destructive methods to detect and report subsurface anomalies within sewer lines.
Our Project Managers provide WinCan reporting of all defects found within sewer systems, which allows GPRS Project Managers to collect detailed, NASSCO-compliant inspection data. We not only inspect the interior condition of sewer pipes, laterals and manholes; we also geolocate our findings so you can pinpoint where you need to dig to complete repairs.
Additionally, the GPRS Mapping & Modeling Department can provide detailed GPS overlays and CAD files. Our detailed WinCan/NASSCO reports contain screenshots of the interior condition of the pipe segments that we inspect, as well as a video file for further evaluation, documentation, and/or reference.
Having your video sewer inspections conducted by NASSCO-certified inspectors is the best way to ensure you receive the best possible inspection and the most detailed reports to aid in your maintenance and repair planning. That was the case on Papworth’s job, where our client was blown away by GPRS’ ability to visualize their infrastructure.
“They mentioned multiple times how impressed they were with our mobile setup, and how we were able to fully complete this project ahead of schedule,” Papworth said. “They were grateful for the timely arrival of the deliverables, which we sent out on a weekly basis for their review.”
Why Do I Need a Sewer Inspection?
Hiring a sewer inspection company to investigate and map your wastewater infrastructure is the best way to mitigate the risks of cross bores and other defects.
Cross bores are inadvertent intersections of buried utilities. They most often occur when a new utility is installed using trenchless technology such as horizontal directional drilling (HDD), during which the installer cannot see what they are boring through.
This new line accidentally crosses paths with an existing utility such as a sewer pipe, leaving the latter compromised and susceptible to inflow/infiltration (I/I) and other, even more dangerous consequences. This is why cross bores are often referred to as ticking time bombs. And considering that the Cross Bore Safety Association (CBSA) estimates there are roughly a million undetected/untreated cross bores riddling the United States' buried infrastructure, you begin to see why this problem acquires immediate attention.
Mapping your sewer system prevents new cross bores by providing utility companies with an accurate road map of the areas they need to avoid when installing new lines.
GPRS sewer line video inspections find cross bores as well as revealing collapsed sewer lateral ducts, unknown blockages in your pipes, and other issues that could lead to service interruptions or other, larger issues.
70,000 sanitary sewer overflows occur annually in the United States. Over 50% of those overflows can be directly attributed to inflow/infiltration (I/I), which is the process of groundwater or water from sources other than domestic wastewater entering sanitary sewers.
I/I can cause dilution in sanitary sewers, which decreases the efficiency of treatment and can lead to overflows. Hiring a professional sewer video inspection service like GPRS ensures you have a comprehensive and up-to-date picture of the state of your infrastructure, so you can catch problems before they cause major issues.
From skyscrapers to sewer lines, GPRS Intelligently Visualizes The Built World® to keep your projects on time, on budget, and safe.
What can we help you visualize? Click the links below to schedule a service or request a quote today!
Frequently Asked Questions
What size pipes can GPRS inspect?
Our elite VPI Project Managers can inspect pipes from 2” in diameter and up.
Can you locate pipes in addition to evaluating their integrity?
Yes, our SIM and NASSCO-certified Project Managers use video pipe inspection technology equipped with sondes, which are instrument probes that allow us to ascertain the location of underground utilities from an inaccessible location. This allows us to use electromagnetic (EM) locating to map sewer systems at the same time we’re evaluating the lines for defects.
What deliverables does GPRS offer when conducting a VPI?
GPRS is proud to offer WinCan reporting to our Video Pipe Inspection clients. Maintaining sewers starts with understanding sewer conditions, and WinCan allows GPRS Project Managers to collect detailed, NASSCO-compliant inspection data. GPRS Project Managers not only inspect the interior condition of sewer pipes, laterals, and manholes – they can also provide a map of their location. The GPRS Mapping & Modeling Department can provide detailed GPS overlays and CAD files. Our detailed WinCan/NASSCO reports contain screenshots of the interior condition of the pipe segments that we inspect, as well as a video file for further evaluation, documentation, and/or reference.
How much does a GPRS sewer inspection cost?
Every video pipe inspection job is unique, so we quote these jobs individually to meet your specific needs. Click here to schedule a service or request a quote today!