When it comes to operations and maintenance, there are some things you just can’t learn from a textbook.
With frequent storms putting more pressure on our wastewater networks, utilities have no time for sewer blockages, but the key to tacking these challenges is using the right equipment for your environment. Utility turned to long-standing industry professional and Enviroline Sales Representative, Peter Sinclair, for advice.
“I started in this business in 1991, and in those days, we were selling steel rods and hand tools to water boards,” Mr Sinclair said.
“At that time, we had to learn on the job, and it doesn’t take much embarrassment to learn how to do it quickly. Older plumbers talked about using cane rods [to clear blockages] in the 60s.
“They used to screw them together and shove them down the pipe and poke a hole through the blockage.
“But the tools for an operator nowadays are much better than what we had in the 90s when I was going out and cleaning drains – there were too many busted shoulders and injuries to the operators with those older mechanical systems.”
For more than five decades, Enviroline has been providing water authorities and municipalities with specialised pipeline maintenance equipment, and Mr Sinclair said that the company’s approach has not only aligned with new technology as it comes to market, but it’s tailored to the needs of Australian utilities.
“Over time, it progressed into the type of machines we have today, and water jetting machines are a lot safer, and [operators] aren’t going to be exhausted as much,” he said.
“Water jetting was just coming out in the early 90s. In the old days, the jet machines for the councils were much smaller and close circuit TV (CCTV) equipment was in its infancy, and gradually it’s [grown] more sophisticated, and the machines respond better to customers’ needs.
“And over time Enviroline has also taken on board customer feedback and made their products better.”
Mr Sinclair explained that the blockages utilities encounter here in Australia are typically quite different challenges compared to those faced internationally. So, when he found a company that was making products in Australia, for Australia, he really wanted to be a part of it.
“When I came on board, I got walked around the factory, and I saw what they were doing, and I just thought to myself ‘I’ve got to be a part of this – this exactly what I want’. So, here I am, a long while later, still working in the industry,” he said.
“We get a lot of dry weather in Australia, and during droughts tree roots go into the joins of the pipe seeking water. And a lot of [coastal areas] get sand in the sewers.
“But it’s quite different [overseas]. A lot of the carrier sizes are different in Europe and America, and European sewage systems are often dual systems [and have] larger pipes because the population tends to be a lot bigger, and they often have better access to these large sewer systems.
“So, their [jetting machines] tend to be lower pressures, but higher volume because they don’t get a lot of tree roots – more often it’s fat and grease blockages.”
For water jetting, it’s vital to use the right machine for the job – and Mr Sinclair said that very much depends on your location and the type of blockages you have.
“You can go high pressure, lower volume or you can go higher volume, lower pressure – and it’s always a scale because not matter what size [a water jet is] you have to feed it, which means balancing road regulations with the carrying capacity of the trucks and the distance you travel, so you’re restricted to a certain amount of water,” he said.
“On the coast, where there’s sand in the system, you want higher volume. Whereas out to the west or towards the mountains you want higher pressure to cut tree roots.”
Mr Sinclair said that Enviroline’s jetting trucks and trailers are about as Australian built as anything could be.
“We produce everything in house – we laser cut all the aluminium for all the parts, we weld up all the hose reels and assemble all the parts and components in our factory.
“The hose is important, ours meets international requirements but we have our own standards on it, and we have a good quality that we use with a 2.5:1 standard for minimum burst pressure – so if it’s 5000psi rated, the minimum burst is 12,500psi.”
Enviroline sources all its components from local suppliers, and preferences Australian products where practical. However, Mr Sinclair explained that providing a quality solution that can tackle Australian conditions is always the first priority.
“If we buy from overseas, it’s always to our specifications, and we maintain a supply spare parts in our factory – we’re not just bringing something in from overseas and then years later when [it needs repairs] making you wait three months to get [the parts] to fix it,” he said.
“If something goes wrong, you can ring up and you can get a part. And the good thing about a local product is we can take on more feedback and make it better.”
Another important part of the job for Mr Sinclair is providing clients with proper advice about which products are best for them.
“When people submit an enquiry about a product, the first thing we do as a sales team is we ring them, and we talk to them about what they’re trying to achieve – and sometimes they might be little bit off track with that product,” he said.
“Then we’ll suggest the correct product that will do that job – and quite frankly if someone [is dead set] on buying the most expensive machine we’ve got then I’ll sell it to them, but first, I’ll really try to sell someone something that will do what they want to achieve.”
His advice to utilities considering a new jetting system is to always get a demonstration of the product.
“First thing to do is ring the manufacturer, have a conversation and get some feedback – then have a look at the product and get a demonstration,” Mr Sinclair said.
“A lot of the time, you’ll also find your neighbours have one, and you can talk to them about how they’re doing it. Everyone’s a little bit different, but there’s always people with similar problems.”
For more information, visit enviroline.net.au
