Stormwater and sewer asset owners often have to maintain many different types of networks, but the optimal equipment for one material might not meet the unique requirements of another.
Without regular maintenance, stormwater pipelines and sewer networks are prime locations for disaster.
Unchecked tree roots, fatbergs, waste and debris can quickly take hold, causing dangerous blockages, network disruptions as well as health and environmental hazards.
To keep communities safe, utilities work around the clock to clean and maintain these assets, but not only do they often need to cover a huge area, they also have to contend with a variety of different asset types.
DCS Regional Sales Manager, Michael Donaldson, explained that one of the key challenges is working with a plethora of different pipeline materials.
“Way back in the in the heyday we used clay pipes for absolutely everything, but now you’ve got polyethylene pipes right through to concrete and metal – and each of those comes with its own unique challenges,” Mr Donaldson said.
“[For example] clay pipes will shatter based on movements in the earth, heat and other environmental factors, but you’ll often find, for instance, there’s 200m of clay and then you start with concrete.
“So, you have to account for both of those [materials].”
Mr Donaldson said that while a lot of ‘off-the-shelf’ maintenance equipment like jetters or cutters can be used for all applications, you’re not always going to get the best or the fastest results – and in some cases you can risk seriously damaging your assets.
“Once you start moving towards more delicate pipes, such as metal, polyethylene or even clay, you do have to adjust your approach,” he said.
“For instance, if you’re looking to remove some tree roots in a polyethylene, concrete or metal pipe, then you can just use a standard tree root cutter. But for a clay pipe, you can’t just use a straight edge – you need a concave or a curved blade, so you’re not destroying or weakening the clay pipe.”
Mr Donaldson said it’s his responsibility as a supplier to ensure that his clients are provided with equipment that meets the requirements of all their assets.
“There are a lot of considerations that have to be taken into account and it’s our responsibility to ask those quantifying questions so we can ascertain the best options for the client,” he said.
Going the extra mile
The end-user experience is one that Mr Donaldson is all too familiar with. Before joining the team at DCS, he worked as a compliance and government contract manager for various companies supplying to water boards and later as a liquids and hazardous waste contracts and compliance manager for a national waste company.
“I have jumped the fence, so to speak, and now I deliver the products that help facilitate those jobs, with efficiency, safety, and compliance at the core of what we deliver,” he said.
For Mr Donaldson, what he appreciates most about DCS is that the company really goes above and beyond to ensure it delivers right service for each customer.
“As someone who’s come from an end-user perspective, [a good supplier] is someone who’s there to support you and walk you through the journey,” he said.
“It’s very important for a vendor to understand that as a customer you’re not just investing in a $10 ‘Tomy Tipper’ – you’re investing in hundred-thousand- to million-dollar assets. So, you need that continuous, reliable support. Customers need to know that if they ring you, then someone will be there to answer their questions.”
DCS is a specialist in sewer jetting and cleaning vehicles, combination extractors, and non-destructive digging vehicles, but the company does a lot more than just supply these solutions. “We are very proud to say that we are 100 per cent Australian manufactured, and we design and build everything from the chassis up in-house,” Mr Donaldson said. This not only gives the company the flexibility to fully tailor each vehicle to its intended purpose, but it also means that they’re built specifically for Australian conditions.
“Here in Melbourne, it could be 20 degrees and then 40 degrees in the same day, but a lot of imported vehicles are built for the lovely European weather, where if it’s forecast to be 20 degrees then it’ll be 20 degrees for a month,” Mr Donaldson said.
“So, we’ve built the trucks in our range to handle both the [extreme temperatures] and the [constantly] changing climate, and there’s a lot of features that we’ve built in to ensure that the vehicles continue to work in all weather conditions.
“For instance, we’ve over engineered the cooling and exhaust system in a lot of our vehicles. So, unless that truck is running in 100-degree heat, it should never overheat.”
As there are hundreds of different solutions on the market, Mr Donaldson said the risk with an off the shelf product it that it may not be exactly fit‑for‑purpose.
“It might work, but it may not work to the right extent, which means there’s extra running costs and extra wages because a job that should be done in a standard 7.6-hour day now takes 15 hours plus,” he said.
“[For example], we are working closely with one of our local councils who’s asked us for a particular specialist nozzle, and the first question we asked the procurement manager was, ‘what’s your jetting rates and pressure ratings, and what size hose are you attaching it to?’
“We could have technically sold her an off-the-shelf attachment, but, for the same price, we’re going to order her in a unit that’s actually specifically jetted and set to her ratings – so she’ll actually get the maximum out of it.”
Under pressure
Because DCS designs every aspect of the vehicles itself, the company is able to keep all of these products in stock.
Mr Donaldson said that the challenge with vehicles that are imported is that replacement parts then also need to be shipped in from overseas.
“This means you’ve got a vehicle that isn’t working for four-plus weeks. But it just takes one delay and then your lead time goes from two weeks to three months – and you can’t have a vehicle that is unable to be used for three months,” he said.
“At DCS, because we carry all our products, we can have you up and running as quickly as possible. That’s typically one to two business days for our interstate customers, and if something’s really urgent then we express ship it, so they have it the next morning.”
Mr Donaldson explained that DCS has a dedicated service and spare parts division to ensure that all its customers are supported throughout the entire lifecycle of their product.
“It’s not just a ‘here’s the truck and have a great ten years’ – we go above and beyond to ensure that our customers are supported,” he said.
“That’s the importance of partnering with someone who actually understands not just your business but understands the urgency and has the same sense of response to ensure that this is resolved.”
For more information, visit dcsmanufacturing.com.au
