Even with the right tools, standards-compliant sewer inspections require time and resources. But many wastewater departments only need a general understanding of a pipe or manhole’s condition to guide decisions when it comes to prioritizing cleaning and assessment.

Communities across North America have turned to Envirosight’s Quickview airHD to meet that need. Its high-powered Quad-Haloptic light engine and HD camera can assess sewer condition rapidly and affordably, making it ideal for prioritizing cleaning and rehab activities, conserving CCTV resources, and avoiding confined-space entry. 

The most efficient way to triage pipe maintenance 

The wastewater department in the City of Red Deer, in Alberta, Canada, experiences three to four months of downtime every winter due to freezing temperatures. As a result, its program prioritizes efficiency during the warmer months. The rapid look into sewers that Quickview offers is key to its success. “We learned early on that we need to triage the lines most in need of attention and dedicate resources to those lines in the most efficient way possible,” says Ryan Engler, the City of Red Deer’s environmental operations foreman. 

The crew uses a Quickview zoom assessment camera to visually determine what problems lie within the pipes. “We can quickly assess whether the problems within the lines are due to debris, roots or encrustation, and figure out which nozzle will best work when cleaning the line,” Engler says. Sewer lines don’t need to be cleaned before a zoom camera survey, and therefore can be assessed quickly by a single operator. “The steps we take before [cleaning] ensure that we are maximizing our effectiveness and efficiency.” 

Avoiding confined-space entry

Western Monmouth Utilities Authority in Manalapan, New Jersey, manages over 250 miles of sewer pipe. The community has grown rapidly, meaning maintenance and cleaning needs vary widely across the collections system. “The cleaning and inspection equipment we have invested in is how we’re able to do what we do,” explains Ed Kovacs, collections maintenance manager and a 21-year veteran of the Authority. 

The department’s Quickview airHD has “served us well when the crawler isn’t needed,” Kovacs says. “When we have tight situations where we don’t want to make an entry, the Quickview pole camera helps out 100%. 

“The equipment is used as often as we can and it’s been really good to us — it’s quality stuff,” he adds. “We’re also able to help local townships inspect their storm drains when they have issues — looking for cracked or broken pipes. So it not only benefits us, but the entire community, too.” 

Building knowledge of aging infrastructure 

Before it began a comprehensive program to map its municipal storm and sewer systems, Roanoke Stormwater Utility in Virginia struggled with many of the challenges common in older infrastructure. But a combination of ROVVER X sewer inspection crawlers and a Quickview zoom camera have granted it new insight and helped keep the community safe, aiding it in its mission to create a “Clean Water Legacy.” 

The Utility’s inspection crew uses its cameras to readily identify storm drain features, including pipe orientation, termination points and outfalls. “Before conducting the GIS study we only knew of 219 miles of stormwater pipelines — now, we’ve discovered we have more than 400 miles and we’ve only inspected one-third of the City's stormwater infrastructure,” explains Ryan Apple, the Utility’s maintenance crew leader. The information the stormwater crew collects is used by engineers to address flooding concerns and benchmark assets. 

The Quickview airHD’s collapsible pole fits in a pick-up bed, but extends to 25 to 30 feet. And with a rechargeable, swappable four-hour lithium-ion battery you can inspect all day. Schedule a free demo and discover the rapid assessment camera that can increase efficiency and productivity in any wastewater system. 

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