Development and Implementation of FOG and Root Control Programs in the City of Baltimore, MD
Baltimore City Department of Public WorksBaltimore, Maryland
Grease and roots cause most back-ups and overflows in collection systems. Municipalities often have outdated plumbing codes and sewer regulations that were not intended to control the discharge of grease into the sanitary sewer. Enforcement of existing regulations is impaired by the lack of staff and resources. Frequently, root infested sewers are located in isolated, heavily wooded right of ways, with limited access. Baltimore evaluated available products and services, and selected grease and root-control chemicals that best suited for its collection system and treatment facilities. The City installed the necessary grease application equipment in six of the City’s Jet-Vac Trucks. Over the past three years Baltimore has taken a planned approach to implementing FOG and root control programs, an approach that relies on customer calls, CCTV inspections, and GIS. During the execution of the Root Control Program, the City realized that house laterals must be treated from the cleanout, and that a pre-application inspection was necessary to ensure the existence and accessibility to the cleanout. Tracking WOs and customer calls is an effective way to assess progress and to determine the effectiveness of these programs. Although Baltimore’s FOG and root control programs are in the early stages of implementation, WOs indicate that the programs are working as evident by a 47% reduction in grease-related WOs, and a 23% reduction in root related WOs. Source: WEFTEC 2009 Proceedings
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Posted: July 6th, 2010 | Filed under: Sanitary Sewer, Stormwater, Waste Water Treatment, Water Treatment | Tags: Collection System O&M Improvements, FOG Program Optimization, Root Control Program Optimization | No Comments »