Scoping Sewers, Saving Millions

Fort Worth is one of the fastest growing large cities in the country, and one of its challenges with pipeline infrastructure is deciding between how much CIP dollars should be allocated between system expansion to accommodate growth and how much should be spent on system renewal. In 2008, Fort Worth retained the services of Freese and Nichols to conduct a comprehensive citywide wastewater master plan called the Interceptor Condition Assessment Program (ICAP), which uses 3 technologies to get a thorough analysis of the structure: a 3MP HD CCTV camera for high resolution images, sonar that detects the volume of debris below the waterline, and laser to identify corrosion above the water service. This is the largest known implementation of this technology in the world and has saved the city $4.5 million in cleaning costs and $3-6 million in the prevention of pipeline failures 4 years into the program. Whereas traditional HD CCTV operations take 10 years to complete resulting in outdated information, ICAP can wrap up its citywide operation within 6 years covering 190,00 linear feet annually. It gives the city a proactive approach in identifying significant corrosion in pipeline and pinpoint line segments to repair, which allows officials to focus rehab dollars in the areas of greatest need. Click here to find out more about it…