GUIDE FOR EVALUATING CAPACITY,
MANAGEMENT, OPERATION, AND
MAINTENANCE (CMOM) PROGRAMS
AT SANITARY SEWER COLLECTION
SYSTEMS
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United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Office of Enforcement and
Compliance Assurance (2224A)
EPA 305-B-05-002
www.epa.gov
January 2005
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Guide for Evaluating CMOM Programs at Wastewater Collection Systems
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. Introduction 1-1
1.1 Purpose of This Guide 1-1
1.2 Terminology 1-1
1.3 How to Use the Guide 1-2
1.4 Overview of Underlying Issues 1-3
1.5 Purpose of CMOM Programs 1-4
1.6 National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System
Regulatory Requirement 1-5
1.7 EPA Region 4 MOM Programs Project 1-6
2. Collection System Capacity, Management, Operation, and Maintenance
Programs 2-1
2.1 Collection System Management 2-4
2.1.1 Organizational Structure 2-4
2.1.2 Training 2-10
2.1.3 Internal Communication 2-11
2.1.4 Customer Service 2-11
2.1.5 Management Information Systems 2-13
2.1.6 SSO Notification Program 2-14
2.1.7 Legal Authority 2-15
2.2 Collection System Operation 2-17
2.2.1 Budgeting 2-18
2.2.2 Monitoring 2-19
2.2.3 Hydrogen Sulfide Monitoring and Control 2-20
2.2.4 Safety 2-21
2.2.5 Emergency Preparedness and Response 2-22
2.2.6 Modeling 2-24
2.2.7 Mapping 2-25
2.2.8 New Construction 2-26
2.2.9 Pump Stations 2-26
2.3 Equipment and Collection System Maintenance 2-27
2.3.1 Maintenance Budgeting 2-28
2.3.2 Planned and Unplanned Maintenance 2-28
2.3.3 Sewer Cleaning 2-33
2.3.4 Parts and Equipment Inventory 2-35
2.4 Sewer System Capacity Evaluation - Testing and Inspection 2-36
2.4.1 Flow Monitoring 2-37
2.4.2 Sewer System Testing 2-38
2.4.3 Sewer System Inspection 2-39
2.5 Sewer System Rehabilitation 2-41
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Guide for Evaluating CMOM Programs at Wastewater Collection Systems
3.0 Checklist for Conducting Evaluations of Wastewater Collection System
Capacity, Management, Operation, and Maintenance (CMOM)
Programs 3-1
Appendix A Example Collection System Performance Indicator Data
Collection Form A-l
Appendix B Example Interview Schedule and Topics B-l
Appendix C Information Sources C-l
References R-l
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Guide for Evaluating CMOM Programs at Sanitary Sewer Collection Systems
CHAPTER 1. INTRODUCTION
1.1 Purpose of this Guide
This guide identifies some of the criteria used by EPA to evaluate a collection system's management,
operation, and maintenance (CMOM) program activities. The guide is intended for use by EPA and state
inspectors as well as the regulated community - owners or operators of sewer systems collecting
domestic sewage as well as consultants or other third-party evaluators or compliance assistance
providers. Collection system owners or operators can review their own systems by following the
checklist in Chapter 3 to reduce the occurrence of sewer overflows and improve or maintain compliance.
The guidance herein may also be taken a step further. If a federal or state reviewer observes a practice
that does not effectively meet the elements of a CMOM program, he or she may make recommendations
to educate the operator, inspector, case developer, or those involved in a settlement agreement.
Additionally, having key board members (policy makers) read this guide will also allow them to better
understand the benefits of investing in good CMOM programs.
The guide is applicable to small, medium, and large systems; both publicly and privately owned
systems; and both regional and satellite collection systems. Regardless of size, each owner or operator
will have an organization and practices unique to its collection system. While these specific
characteristics will vary among systems, the CMOM concepts and best management practices are likely
to apply to all types of systems. Where appropriate, this document provides guidance on the differences.
This document does not, however, substitute for the CWA or EPA's regulations, nor is it a regulation
itself. Thus, the document does not and cannot impose legally binding requirements upon these
circumstances. EPA and state decision-makers retain the discretion to adopt approaches on a case-by-
case basis that differ from this guidance where appropriate. EPA may change this guidance in the future.
Individuals reviewing a collection system are strongly encouraged to read the guidance portion of this
document prior to conducting a review. Reviewers should use the checklist in Chapter 3 as the primary
tool for questions during the paperwork and/or onsite review of the collection system.
While some sections or topics may not appear to relate directly to environmental performance, taken as
a whole, they provide an indication of how well the utility is run.
1.2 Terminology
To provide a more user-friendly guidance and for clarification, the terminology for several terms has
been modified. The following paragraphs list these terms and reasoning for the modifications.
Frequently, the term "COLLECTION SYSTEM OWNER OR OPERATOR", abbreviated as "OWNER
OR OPERATOR," is used in this guide and refers to the entities responsible for the administration and
oversight of the sewer system and its associated staff (in either a municipal or industrial context);
capacity evaluation, management, operation, and maintenance programs; equipment; and facilities. The
owner and operator may be two different entities. For example, the owner may own the infrastructure
and be responsible for its maintenance while it designates responsibility for the day to day operation of
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Guide for Evaluating CMOM Programs at Sanitary Sewer Collection Systems
the system to the operator. It should be noted that the term used in EPA's CMOM Program Self
Assessment Checklist is "MUNICIPAL WASTEWATER UTILITY OPERATORS" or "UTILITY"
rather than "collection system owner or operator." Both refer to the same individual(s).
The term "REVIEW" is used in this document in place of "INSPECTION" or "AUDIT." Because
"inspection" often refers to an evaluation conducted by the regulatory authority and "audit" has been
used to refer to an evaluation with very specific requirements, "review" is more appropriately used to
capture the wider universe of evaluations (e.g., those conducted by a regulatory authority, the system
itself, and/or by a third-party).
Similarly, the term used to describe the person conducting the CMOM review is the "REVIEWER" -
this could be either an inspector, a third party reviewer hired by the owner or operator, or personnel of
the owner or operator performing a self-evaluation of the collection system.
The term "FACILITY" is used in this document to refer to the components of the collection system
(e.g., pump stations, sewer lines).
1.3 How to Use the Guide
The guide and checklist provide a three-tiered approach to the CMOM review:
• Evaluation of the CMOM program, based on interviews with management and field personnel,
as well as observation of routine activities and functions
• Review of pertinent records and information management systems
Evaluation based on field/site review
Chapter 2 provides a breakdown and overview of each CMOM concept and what to look for when
reviewing the system, defines the CMOM elements for the reviewer, and follows through with a
discussion of the indicators or other clues about which the reviewer should be aware. Chapters 2 and 3
present detailed information on conducting reviews of collection systems. Chapter 3 contains the
comprehensive reviewer checklist, supported by the information in Chapter 2. Appendix A presents a
Collection System Performance Indicator Data Collection Form which provides examples of the types of
information a reviewer should attempt to obtain while on-site.
The "one size does not fit all" approach to reviewing CMOM programs cannot be overstated. The
principles covered in this guide are applicable to all wastewater collection systems, however, these
principles may be implemented through different means depending on the system. Larger systems may
have the resources and the need to implement more costly and complex means of meeting the CMOM
program elements. In occasional cases a CMOM feature may not be implemented at all, due to
characteristics of the system. A reviewer should be able to look at the system as a whole and determine
whether certain key elements are present or should be present and to what extent the system incorporates
the CMOM principles.
Reviewers will also find that the location or names of some documents, logs, or reports may vary from
system to system. This guide tries to provide a general description of the materials the reviewer should
request.
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Although use of this guide cannot guarantee a collection system will avoid permit violations or
discharge violations, generally, when owners or operators adequately practice the principles laid
out in the guide, they should experience fewer problems and, therefore, fewer instances of
noncompliance.
1.4 Overview of the Underlying Issues
Sanitary sewer collection systems are designed to remove wastewater from homes and other buildings
and convey it to a wastewater treatment plant. The collection system is a critical element in the
successful performance of the wastewater treatment process. EPA estimates that collection systems in
the U.S. have a total replacement value between $1 to $2 trillion. Under certain conditions, poorly
designed, built, managed, operated, and/or maintained systems can pose risks to public health, the
environment, or both. These risks arise from sanitary sewer overflows (SSOs) from the collection
system or by compromised performance of the wastewater treatment plant. Effective and continuous
management, operation, and maintenance, as well as ensuring adequate capacity and rehabilitation when
necessary, are critical to maintaining collection system capacity and performance while extending the
life of the system.
EPA believes that every sanitary sewer system has the
capacity to have an SSO. This may be due to a number
of factors including, but not limited to:
• Blockages
Structural, mechanical, or electrical failures
Collapsed or broken sewer pipes
Insufficient conveyance capacity
• Vandalism
Additionally, high levels of inflow and infiltration (I/I)
during wet weather can cause SSOs. Many collection SSOs include untreated discharges
, , . , ,. . , sewer systems that reach waters of the United States
systems that were designed according to industry (photo- US EPA)
standards experience wet weather SSOs because levels of I/I
may exceed levels originally expected; prevention of I/I has
proven more difficult and costly than anticipated; or the capacity of the system has become inadequate
due to an increase in service population without corresponding system upgrades (EPA 2004).
SSOs can cause or contribute to environmental and human health impacts (e.g., water quality standards
violations, contamination of drinking water supplies, beach closures, etc.) which, in addition to flooded
basements and overloaded wastewater treatment plants, are some symptoms of collection systems with
inadequate capacity and improper management, operation, and maintenance. These problems create the
need for both the owner or operator and the regulatory authority to conduct more thorough evaluations
of sanitary sewer collection systems.
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1.5 Purpose of CMOM Programs
CMOM programs incorporate many of the standard operation and maintenance activities that are
routinely implemented by the owner or operator with a new set of information management
requirements in order to:
Better manage, operate, and maintain collection systems
Investigate capacity constrained areas of the collection system
• Proactively prevent SSOs
• Respond to SSO events
The CMOM approach helps the owner or operator provide a high level of service to customers and
reduce regulatory noncompliance. CMOM can help utilities optimize use of human and material
resources by shifting maintenance activities from "reactive" to "proactive"-often leading to savings
through avoided costs due to overtime, reduced emergency construction costs, lower insurance
premiums, changes in financial performance goals, and fewer lawsuits. CMOM programs can also help
improve communication relations with the public, other municipal works and regional planning
organizations, and regulators.
It is important to note that the collection system board members or equivalent entity should ensure that
the CMOM program is established as a matter of policy. The program should not be micro-managed, but
an understanding of the resources required of the operating staff to implement and maintain the program
is necessary.
In CMOM planning, the owner or operator selects performance goal targets, and designs CMOM
activities to meet the goals. The CMOM planning framework covers operation and maintenance (O&M)
planning, capacity assessment and assurance, capital improvement planning, and financial management
planning. Information collection and management practices are used to track how the elements of the
CMOM program are meeting performance goals, and whether overall system efficiency is improving.
On an periodic basis, utility activities should be reviewed and adjusted to better meet the performance
goals. Once the long-term goal of the CMOM program is established, interim goals may be set. For
instance, an initial goal may be to develop a geographic information system (GIS) of the system. Once
the GIS is complete, a new goal might be to use the GIS to track emergency calls and use the
information to improve maintenance planning.
An important component of a successful CMOM program is periodically collecting information on
current systems and activities to develop a "snapshot-in-time" analysis. From this analysis, the owner or
operator evaluates its performance and plans its CMOM program activities.
Maintaining the value of the investment is also important. Collection systems represent major capital
investments for communities and are one of the communities' major capital assets. Equipment and
facilities will deteriorate through normal use and age. Maintaining value of the capital asset is a major
goal of the CMOM program. The infrastructure is what produces sales and service. Proper reinvestment
in capital facilities maintains the ability to provide service and generate sales at the least cost possible
and helps ensure compliance with environmental requirements. As a capital asset, this will result in the
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need for ongoing investment in the collection system and treatment plant to ensure design capacity
while maintaining existing facilities and equipment as well as extending the life of the system.
The performance of wastewater collection systems is directly linked to the effectiveness of its CMOM
program. Performance characteristics of a system with an inadequate CMOM program include frequent
blockages resulting in overflows and backups. Other major performance indicators include pump station
reliability, equipment availability, and avoidance of catastrophic system failures such as a collapsed
pipe.
A CMOM program is what an owner or operator should use to manage its assets; in this case, the
collection system itself. The CMOM program consists of a set of best management practices that have
been developed by the industry and are applied over the entire life cycle of the collection system and
treatment plant. These practices include:
• Designing and constructing for O&M
• Knowing what comprises the system (inventory and
physical attributes)
• Knowing where the system is (maps and location)
• Knowing the condition of the system (assessment)
• Planning and scheduling work based on condition and
performance
Repairing, replacing, and rehabilitating system components
based on condition and performance
Managing timely, relevant information to establish and
prioritize appropriate CMOM activities
• Training of personnel
1.6 National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System
Regulatory Requirement
Sewer rehabilitation can include lining
The National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES)
program prohibits discharges of pollutants from any point source into
the nation's waters except as authorized under an NPDES permit.
EPA and state NPDES inspectors evaluate collection systems and treatment plants to determine
compliance with permit conditions including proper O&M. Among others, these permit conditions are
based on regulation in 40 CFR 122.41(e): "The permittee shall at all times properly operate and
maintain all facilities and systems of treatment and control (and related appurtenances) which are
installed or used by the permittee to achieve compliance with the conditions of this permit."
When violations occur, the collection system or wastewater treatment plant owner or operator can face
fines and requirements to implement programs to compensate residents and restore the environment. For
example, in June 2004, the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio entered a consent decree
resolving CSO, SSO, and wastewater treatment plant violations at the Hamilton County sewer system in
Cincinnati, Ohio. In addition to a $1.2 million civil penalty, the settlement included programs to clean
up residents' basements, compensate residents, and implement measures to prevent further basement
backups. The settlement also includes over $5.3 million in supplemental environmental projects.
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1.7 EPA Region 4 MOM Programs Project
EPA Region 4 created the "Publicly Owned Treatment Works MOM Programs Project" under which the
Region invites permitted owners or operators, and contributing satellite systems, in watersheds it selects
to perform a detailed self-assessment of the management, operation, and maintenance (MOM) programs
associated with their collection system. Participants provide a report which includes the results of the
review, any improvements that should be made, and schedules to make those improvements.
Participants that identify and report a history of unpermitted discharges from their collection system,
and a schedule for the necessary improvements, can be eligible for smaller civil penalties while under a
remediation schedule.
EPA's Office of Compliance coordinated with EPA Region 4 on the development of this CMOM Guide.
This guide is based in part on material obtained from the Region 4 MOM Programs Project. Some of the
more specific items of the Region 4 program have been omitted in order to provide a more streamlined
review framework. The fundamental concepts behind CMOM have been maintained in this guide. By
combining elements of the Region's program with existing NPDES inspection guidance, this CMOM
Guide provides a comprehensive framework for reviewers and regulated communities to evaluate the
effectiveness of O&M throughout the collection system.
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CHAPTER 2. COLLECTION SYSTEM CAPACITY,
MANAGEMENT, OPERATION, AND MAINTENANCE
PROGRAMS
This chapter provides an overview of the CMOM program elements. The information will help
evaluate wastewater collection system operation and maintenance (O&M) practices. The key
elements of the CMOM program, which are presented in detail in the following sections,
include:
Collection System Management
• Collection System Operation
• Collection System Maintenance
• Collection System Capacity Evaluation
In addition to this overview, there are several areas (e.g., 2.1.3 Internal Communications, 2.1.4
Customer Service, etc.) in this guide that go into greater depth regarding the operation and
maintenance of a collection system. The intent of this detail is not only to provide the owner or
operator with suggestions as to what to look for in their own program, but to provide the
reviewer a complete overview of good operations, in general, regardless of a particular item
resulting in poor performance or a violation.
For EPA and state inspectors or other reviewers, conducting an evaluation of collection system
CMOM programs shares many similarities with other types of compliance reviews. Overall, the
reviewer would examine records, interview staff and conduct field investigations, generally in
that order although tailored, if necessary, to meet site-specific needs. Prior to performing the on-
site interviews and evaluations, preliminary information may be requested that will provide an
overall understanding of the organization to allow for a more focused approach for the review.
This information also provides a basis for more detailed data gathering during on site activities.
The information typically requested prior to the review should include a schematic map of the
collection system (could be as-built drawings) and any written operations or maintenance
procedures. Depending on the volume of information, the collection system owner or operator
may need ample lead time to gather and copy these documents. Alternatively, the reviewer may
offer to examine the documents and bring them back when doing the on-site review so that extra
copies are not necessary. No matter which method is used, the importance of up-front
preparation cannot be overemphasized. With the exception of pump stations and manholes, much
of the collection system is not visible. Therefore, the more complete the reviewer's
understanding of the system is prior to the review, the more successful the assessment will be.
The reviewer would then proceed with the on-site activities. Guidance for conducting
compliance reviews is provided in the NPDES Compliance Inspection Manual (EPA 2004). The
manual provides the general procedures for performing compliance reviews and is a valuable
source of information on such topics as entry, legal authority, and responsibilities of the
reviewer. Although CMOM evaluations are not specifically addressed in the manual, the general
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review procedures can be applied to CMOM reviews. Another good reference for general review
information is the Multi-Media Investigations Manual, NEIC (EPA 1992). Some issues with
entry are specific to CMOM reviews. Some facilities may be on private property and the
reviewer may need property owner consent for entry.
Documents to Review On-site Include:
Organization chart(s)
Staffing plans
Job descriptions
Sewer use ordinance
Overall map of system showing facilities such as pump stations, treatment plants, major gravity sewers, and
force mains
O&M budget with cost centers1 for wastewater collection
Performance measures for inspections, cleaning, repair, and rehabilitation
Recent annual report, if available
Routine reports regarding system O&M activities
Collection system master plan
Capital improvement projects (CIP) plan
Flow records or monitoring
Safety manual
Emergency response plan
Management policies and procedures
Detailed maps/schematics of the collection system and pump stations
Work order management system
O&M manuals
Materials management program
Vehicle management and maintenance records
Procurement process
Training plan for employees
Employee work schedules
Public complaint log
Rate ordinance or resolution
Financial report ("notes" section)
As built plans
Discharge monitoring reports (DMRs)
The above list is not all inclusive nor will all utilities necessarily have formal, written
documentation for each of the items listed. The Collection System Performance Indicator Data
Collection Form, included as Appendix A, provides examples of the types of information a
reviewer should attempt to obtain while on-
site.
Interviews are generally conducted with line
managers and supervisors who are
responsible for the various O&M activities
Reviewer - Point to Note
A schedule should be established by the reviewer for
the staff interviews and field assessments.
A cost center is any unit of activity, group of employees, line of products, etc., isolated or arranged in order to allocate and assign
costs more easily.
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and support services staff from engineering, construction, human resources, and purchasing,
where appropriate. Appendix B presents an example agenda and schedule that would be used for
a large collection system owner or operator. The collection system's size and physical
characteristics will determine the length of time needed for the review. A guideline for the time
required, given a two person review team, would be two days for a small system, and a week or
more for large systems.
Field reviews are typically conducted after interviews. The following is a list of typical field
sites the team should visit:
• Mechanical and electrical maintenance shop(s)
Fleet maintenance facilities (vehicles and other rolling stock)
Materials management facilities (warehouse, outside storage yards)
Field maintenance equipment storage locations (i.e., crew trucks, mechanical and
hydraulic cleaning equipment, construction and repair equipment, and television
inspection equipment)
• Safety equipment storage locations
• Pump stations
• Dispatch and supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) systems
• Crew and training facilities
Chemical application equipment and chemical storage areas (use of chemicals for root
and grease control, hydrogen sulfide control [odors, corrosion])
Site of SSOs, if applicable
• A small, but representative, selection of manholes
Collection system operators typically assist with manhole cover removal and other physical
activities. The inspector should refrain from entering confined spaces. A confined space is
defined by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) as a space that: (1) is
large enough and so configured that an employee can bodily enter and perform assigned work;
and (2) has limited or restricted means for entry or exit; and (3) is not designed for continuous
employee occupancy [29 CFR 1910.146(b)]. A "permit-required confined space (permit space)"
is a confined space that has one or more of the following characteristics: (1) contains or has a
potential to contain a hazardous atmosphere; (2) contains a material that has the potential for
engulfing an entrant; (3) has an internal configuration such that an entrant could be trapped or
asphyxiated by inwardly converging walls or by a floor which slopes downward and tapers to a
smaller cross-section; or (4) contains any other recognized serious safety or health hazard [29
CFR1910.146(b)].
Though OSHA has promulgated standards for confined spaces, those standards do not apply
directly to municipalities, except in those states that have approved plans and have asserted
jurisdiction under Section 18 of the OSHA Act. Contract operators and private facilities do have
to comply with the OSHA requirements and the inspector may find that some municipalities
elect to do so voluntarily. In sewer collection systems, the two most common confined spaces are
the underground pumping station and manholes. The underground pumping station is typically
entered through a relatively narrow metal or concrete shaft via a fixed ladder. Inspectors
conducting the field evaluation component of the CMOM audit should be able to identify and
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avoid permit-required confined spaces. Although most confined spaces are unmarked, confined
spaces that may have signage posted near their entry containing the following language:
DANGER-PERMIT REQUIRED-CONFINED SPACE
AUTHORIZED PERSONNEL ONLY
If confined space entry is absolutely necessary, inspectors should consult with the collection
system owner or operator first, have appropriate training on confined space entry, and use the
proper hazard detection and personal safety equipment. More information on confined space
entry can be found in Operation and Maintenance ofWastewater Collection Systems Volumes
land //(California State University (CSU) Sacramento 1996; CSU Sacramento 1998).
2.1 Collection System Management
Collection system management activities form the backbone for operation and effective
maintenance activities. The goals of a management program should include:
Protection of public health and prevention of unnecessary property damage
• Minimization of infiltration, inflow
and exfiltration, and maximum
conveyance of wastewater to the
wastewater treatment plant
Provision of prompt response to
service interruptions
Efficient use of allocated funds
Identification of and remedy
solutions to design, construction,
and operational deficiencies
• Performance of all activities in a
safe manner to avoid injuries
Management Documents to Review
• Organization chart(s)
• Staffing plans-Number of people and
classifications
• Job descriptions for each classification
• Sewer use ordinance
• Safety manual
• Training program documentation
• Notes to financial reports
Without the proper procedures,
management and training systems, O&M activities may lack organization and precision,
resulting in a potential risk to human health and environmental contamination of surrounding
water bodies, lands, dwellings, or groundwater. The following sections discuss the common
elements of a robust collection system management program.
2.1.1 Organizational Structure
Well-established organizational structure, which delineates responsibilities and authority for
each position, is an important component of a CMOM program for a collection system. This
information may take the form of an organizational chart or narrative description of roles and
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responsibilities, or both. The organizational chart should show the overall personnel structure,
including operation and maintenance staff.
Additionally, up-to-date job descriptions
should be available. Job descriptions should
include the nature of the work performed,
the minimum requirements for the position,
the necessary special qualifications or
certifications, examples of the types work,
lists of licences required for the position,
problems.
performance measures or promotion
Reviewer - Point to Note
The reviewer may want to note the turnover rate and
current levels of staffing (i.e., how many vacant
positions exist and for how long they have been
vacant). This may provide some indication of
potential understaffmg, which can create response
potential. Other items to note in regard to
the organizational structure are the percent
of staff positions currently vacant, on average, the length of time positions remain vacant, and
the percent of collection system work that is contracted out.
Reviewers should evaluate specific qualifications of personnel and determine if the tasks
designated to individuals, crews, or teams match the job descriptions and training requirements
spelled out in the organizational structure. From an evaluation standpoint, the reviewer might try
to determine what type of work is performed by outside contractors and what specific work is
reserved for collection system personnel. If much of the work is contracted, it is appropriate to
review the contract and to look at the contractor's capabilities. If the contractor handles
emergency response, the reviewer should examine the contract with the owner or operator to
determine if the emergency response procedures and requirements are outlined.
The inclusion of job descriptions in the organizational structure ensures that all employees know
their specific job responsibilities and have
the proper credentials. Additionally, it is
Reviewer - Point to Note useful in the course of interviews to discuss
A reviewer should look for indications that
responsibilities are understood by employees. Such
indications may include training programs, meetings
between management and staff, or policies and responsibilities. In addition, when
procedures. \ ^ f^ '
evaluating the CMOM program, job
staff management. The reviewer should note
whether staff receive a satisfactory
explanation of their job descriptions and
descriptions will help a reviewer determine
who should be interviewed.
When evaluating the organizational structure, the reviewer should look for the following:
• Except in very small systems, operation and maintenance personnel ideally should report
to the same supervisor or director. The supervisor or director should have overall
responsibility for the collection system.
• In some systems, maintenance may be carried out by a city-wide maintenance
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organization, which may also be responsible for such diverse activities as road repair and
maintenance of the water distribution system. This can be an effective approach, but only
if adequate lines of responsibility and communication are established.
• In general, one supervisor should manage a team of individuals small enough that is safe
and effective. However, the individuals on the team may have additional employees
reporting to them. This prevents the top supervisors from having to track too many
individuals. The employee-supervisor ratio at individual collection systems will vary
depending on their need for supervisors.
In a utility with well-established organizational structure, staff and management should be able
to articulate their job and position responsibilities. Personnel should be trained to deal with
constantly changing situations and requirements, both regulatory and operational.
The system's personnel requirements vary in relation to the overall size and complexity of the
collection system. In very small systems, these responsibilities may include operation of the
treatment plant as well as the collection system. In many systems, collection system personnel
are responsible for the stormwater as well as wastewater collection system. References providing
staff guidelines or recommendations are available to help the reviewer determine if staffing is
adequate for the collection system being reviewed. Following is a list of available references:
• Manpower Requirements for Wastewater Collection Systems in Cities of 150,000 to
500,000Population (EPA 1974)
• Manpower Requirements for Wastewater Collection Systems in Cities and Towns of up to
150,000Population (EPA 1973)
• Operation and Maintenance of Wastewater Collection Systems, Volume II (California
State University (CSU) Sacramento 1998)
Volumes I and II of Operations and Maintenance of Wastewater Collection Systems can be
obtained through:
Office of Water Programs
California State University Sacramento
6000 J Street
Sacramento, CA 95819-6025
phone: 916/278-6142
www.owp.csus.edu
The following tables have been taken from the two EPA documents listed above to provide the
reviewer with guidance. However, these documents may not take into account technological
advances that have occurred since their publication date that might reduce staffing requirements.
For instance, advances in remote data acquisition and telemetry have likely reduced the number
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of field inspection staff needed for systems with several pump stations. Other system-specific
characteristics should also be accounted for when using these tables. An example of this might
be collection systems that are not primarily constructed of brick will not require the masons the
tables specify.
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STAFF COMPLEMENTS FOR WASTEWATER COLLECTION SYSTEM MAINTENANCE
POPULATION SIZE
(Estimated Number of Personnel)
Occupational Title
Superintendent
Assistant Superintendent
Maintenance Supervisor
Foreman
Maintenance Man II
Maintenance Man I
Mason II
Mason I
Maint. Equipment Personnel
Construction Equipment Personnel
Auto. Equipment Personnel
Photo. Inspection Technician
Laborer
Dispatcher
Clerk Typist
Stock Clerk
Sewer Maint. Staff
Maintenance Mechanic II
Maintenance Mechanic I
Maintenance Mechanic Helper
Construction Inspection Supervisor
Total Staff
5,000
(a)
1
1
1
1
1
1
6
(b)
5
15
15
15
15
15
80
10,000
(a)
1
1
1
1
1
1
6
(b)
10
20
20
20
20
20
110
25,000
(a)
1
1
1
2
1
1
2
9
(b)
20
20
20
60
40
20
40
220
50,000
(a)
1
1
1
1
3
1
2
1
2
1
1
1
16
(b)
40
40
40
40
120
40
80
40
80
40
20
40
620
100,000
(a)
1
2
1
1
5
1
1
3
1
1
1
5
2
1
1
27
(b)
40
80
40
40
200
40
40
120
40
40
40
200
80
20
40
1,060
see comment (c) below
see comment (d) below
see comment (d) below
see comments (e) and (f) below
(a) Estimated number of personnel.
(b) Estimated total man-hours per week.
(c) Multiply number of lift stations maintained by 8/3.
(d) Multiply number of lift station visits per week by 1.
(e) Multiply estimated construction site visits per week by 8/3.
(f) Determined by the number of Construction Inspectors employed and developed on a judgmental basis.
Unit processes included in this staffing table are:
1. Maintenance of sanitary sewer main lines & appurtenances (laterals not included).
2. Maintenance of storm sewer main lines.
3. Maintenance of lift stations.
4. Inspection of newly constructed sewer main lines and appurtenances.
(U.S. EPA 1973)
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Guide for Evaluating CMOM Programs at Sanitary Sewer Collection Systems
STAFF COMPLEMENTS FOR WASTEWATER COLLECTION SYSTEM MAINTENANCE
POPULATION SIZE
(Estimated Number of Personnel)
Occupational Title
Superintendent
Assistant Superintendent
Maintenance Supervisor II
Maintenance Supervisor I
Equipment Supervisor
TV Technician II
TV Technician I
Foreman
Maintenance Man II
Maintenance Man I
Mason II
Mason I
Maintenance Equipment Personnel
Construction Equipment Personnel
Auto. Equipment Personnel
Laborer
Dispatcher
Stock Clerk
Clerk Typist
Sewer Maintenance Staff
Maintenance Mechanic II
Maintenance Mechanic I
Maintenance Mechanic Helper
Electrician
Construction Inspector Supervisor
Construction Inspector
Total Staff
150,000
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
2
3
11
1
1
6
3
2
7
2
1
2
48
200,000
1
1
1
2
1
2
2
3
5
17
2
2
8
4
3
10
2
2
2
70
300,000
1
1
1
2
1
2
2
4
6
22
2
2
12
6
4
14
2
2
2
88
400,000
1
1
1
3
1
3
3
5
8
29
3
3
15
8
5
18
3
3
3
116
500,000
1
1
1
3
1
3
3
6
9
33
3
3
18
9
6
22
3
3
3
131
see comment (a) below
see comment (b) below
see comment (b) below
see comment (c) below
see comment (d) below
see comment (e) below
(a) Divide number of lift stations maintained by 15.
(b) Divide number of lift station visits per week by 40
(c) Divide number of lift stations maintained by 15.
(d) Determined by the number of Construction Inspectors employed and developed on a judgmental basis.
(e) Divide estimated daily construction site visits by 2.
Unit processes included in this staffing table are:
1. Maintenance of sanitary sewer main lines & appurtenances (laterals not included).
2. Maintenance of storm sewer main lines.
3. Maintenance of lift stations.
4. Inspection of newly constructed main lines and appurtenances.
(U.S. EPA 1974)
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Guide for Evaluating CMOM Programs at Sanitary Sewer Collection Systems
2.1.2 Training
The commitment of management to training is key to a successful program. It is important to
recognize training as a budget expense item. A guideline for the typical amount of funding for
training is three to five percent of the gross budget for the collection system. However, in large
collection systems or those undergoing extensive construction this percentage may be
considerably lower, and, in systems with a high turnover, training costs may be higher due to
orienting new employees. Other changes, such as incorporation of new technology, will have a
short-term impact on training costs. Although training is not explicitly required under current
regulations, a collection system with untrained or poorly trained collection system personnel
runs a greater risk of experiencing noncompliance.
The following elements are essential for an effective training program:
Fundamental mission, goals, and policies of the collection system are addressed
Mandatory training requirements are identified for key employees
• On-the-job training progress and performance are measured
• Effectiveness of the training is assessed including periodic testing, drills, or
demonstrations
• New employees receive training
The owner or operator should generally provide training in the following areas:
• Routine line maintenance (may be on-the-job training only)
• Safety during confined space entry (every system should also have a strict policy and
permit program)
• Traffic control (where applicable)
• Record keeping
Pump station O&M
Electrical and instrumentation (may
be a combination of formal and on-
the-job training)
• Public relations and customer service
• SSO/Emergency response
• Pump station operations and
maintenance
Pipe repair; bursting or cured in place
pipe (CIPP); or closed circuit TV and
trench/shoring (where these activities
Sources of Training
Training is required to safely perform inspections,
follow replacement procedures, and lubricate and
clean parts and equipment. Following are the many
sources of maintenance training:
• Manufacturer
• In-house
• On-the-job (OJT)
• Industry-wide (e.g., consultants, regulatory
authorities, professional associations, or
educational institutions)
are not outsourced)
The training program should identify the types of training required and offered. Types of training
vary, but may include general environmental awareness, specific equipment, policies and
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Guide for Evaluating CMOM Programs at Sanitary Sewer Collection Systems
Owner or Operator - Point to Note
The owner or operator should routinely assess the
effectiveness of training through periodic testing,
drills, demonstrations, or informal reviews, and
improve training based on this assessment.
procedures, and conducting maintenance
activities. If the owner or operator is
carrying out its own training, the reviewer
should evaluate one or more examples of
training materials to answer the following
questions: are the materials appropriate to
the training topic and the level of those
being trained; and are they likely to accomplish the intended goal?
2.1.3 Internal Communication
Communication is essential to ensuring that collection systems run efficiently and effectively.
It is especially important that an effective communication link exists between wastewater
treatment plant operators and collection system crews as well as with other municipal
departments.
Effective communication requires the top-down, bottom-up, and lateral exchange of information
amongst staff. Examples of top-down communication are bulletin board posters, paycheck
inserts, regular staff meetings, e-mail or informal brown-bag lunch discussions. Examples of
bottom-up communication may include the establishing environmental committees, confidential
hotlines, e-mail, or direct open discussions. Collection system owners or operators may also
offer incentives to employees for performance, and encourage them to submit suggestions for
ways to improve the performance of the collection system. "Front line" employees are often an
excellent source of ideas, issues, and information about how to improve performance at the work
site. In this context, the reviewer can check for morale-boosting activities or reward programs,
such as "Employee of the Month" and "Employee of the Year."
The reviewer should attempt to determine lines of internal communication to ensure all
employees receive information and have an appropriate forum to provide feedback. The reviewer
should assess the level of communication by interviewing several levels of staff or by simply
observing collection system teams on work assignments. The owner or operator should have
procedures and be able to demonstrate internal communication between the various levels and
functions of the collection system regarding its management, operation, and maintenance
programs.
2.1.4 Customer Service
The community often knows very little about the wastewater treatment and collection services
performed for them. The community may only be aware of the collection system and its owner
or operator through articles in local newspapers, public radio and television announcements, or
only when there is an SSO. Collection system representatives should talk to schools and
universities, make presentations to local officials and businesses about the wastewater field.
Formal presentations can also be given to citizens, building inspectors, public utility officials,
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Guide for Evaluating CMOM Programs at Sanitary Sewer Collection Systems
and members of the media.
An effective customer service and public relations program ensures that the owner or operator
addresses all incoming inquiries, requests, and complaints in a timely fashion. From this
information, owners or operators may further develop or revise programs to better address areas
of concern. The reviewer should examine customer service records for the following:
• Personnel who received the complaint or request
• Date and nature of the complaint or request
• Location of the problem
• Name, address, and telephone number of the customer
Cause of the problem
• To whom the follow-up action was assigned
The initial date of the follow-up action
Date the complaint or request was resolved
• Total days to end the problem
• Feedback to the customer
Awareness of past issues, population served, compliance history, and other elements help a
reviewer determine whether the amount and
types of inquiries, requests, or complaints are
Reviewer - Point to Note
To fully understand the context of customer
inquiries, requests, or complaints, a reviewer should
understand the history, topography, boundaries, and
demographics of the collection system's jurisdiction
before site evaluations are conducted.
increasing or decreasing. For example, there
may have been many complaints during only
a certain week. The reviewer can examine
those records to determine if there were
specific circumstances (e.g., a large
precipitation event) that caused the increase
in inquiries or complaints.
Employees who handle customer service should be specifically trained to handle complaints,
requests, or inquiries. These employees should be provided with sample correspondence, Q/A's,
or "scripts" to help guide them through written or oral responses to customers. The reviewer
should look for procedures on how to answer the telephone, e-mail, and other communication
used by personnel. A reviewer may evaluate staff telephone responses by evaluating:
The number of persons available to answer calls
The number of repeat callers
The average length of calls
The volume of calls per day
Collection system field crews and their activities are the most visible segment of any wastewater
treatment organization. Workers project a public image for their system on city and town streets.
For this reason, personnel need to be trained in what to expect in public situations. For example,
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Guide for Evaluating CMOM Programs at Sanitary Sewer Collection Systems
collection system supervisory staff should be familiar with the areas around public rights-of-way
and easements to which their field crews must gain access to service facilities. Additionally,
crew leaders should know how to deal with the public when approached.
Collection systems field crews influence the public's confidence in the collection system owner
or operator. Reviewers should observe whether personnel wear uniforms or not, and if vehicles
and equipment are identifiable as utility property and kept in good working order. Vehicles
should be equipped with adequate emergency lighting and flashers, traffic control signs and
barriers, etc. Before major construction or maintenance work begins, owners or operators should
notify homeowners where properties may be affected. Methods of notification may include door
hangers, newspaper notices, fliers, signs, or public radio or television announcements.
Information should also be provided to residents on cleanup and safety procedures following
basement backups and other overflows.
2.1.5 Management Information Systems
The ability of the owner or operator to effectively manage its collection system is directly related
to its ability to maintain access to the most
current information concerning the facilities.
Maintenance of this current information is an
effort involving all members of the collection
system from the staff answering the telephone
to the worker in the street. Operational
information informs and clarifies financial
information. This will make the financial
information more useful for the policy
makers, leading to better decisions. A
satisfactory management information system
should provide the owner or operator with the
lOHOWing advantages. A growing number of sewer systems have shifted to computer-based
collection system management [photo: Milwaukee Metropolitan
Maintain preventive maintenance and sewerage District (MMSD)].
inspection schedules
• Offer budgetary justification
Track repairs and work orders
Organize capital replacement plans
Manage tools and equipment inventories
Create purchase orders
• Record customer service inquiries, complaints, or requests
• Provide measurement of effectiveness of program and O&M activities
Owners and operators have been shifting to computer-based systems to manage data. Only the
smaller collection system owners or operators may still rely on paper management systems.
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Guide for Evaluating CMOM Programs at Sanitary Sewer Collection Systems
Computer-based Maintenance Management Systems (CMMSs) are designed to manage the data
needed to track the collection system's O&M performance. Geographic Information Systems
(GIS) are used to map and locate facilities and because of computer-based compatibility, can
often easily be integrated with a CMMS. The computer-based system however, can only be as
accurate as the data used to develop it, which was most likely paper files.
Types of Management Information Tracking
• Customer service
• Safety incident
• Emergency response
• Process change
• Inspection scheduling and tracking
• Monitoring and/or sampling schedules
• Compliance
• Planned maintenance (schedules and work
orders)
• Parts inventory
Regardless of the information management
style chosen, the collection system should
have written instructions regarding the use of
the management information systems. These
procedures may include operating the system,
upgrading the system, accessing data and
information, and generating and printing
reports. The system should be kept current
with accurate information. Work reports from
the field crews should be complete, accurate,
and legible.
The reviewer may select some number of
complaints and see how well they can be
tracked through the system to an ultimate conclusion. Work reports generated by the field crew
should be randomly chosen and scanned for legibility and completeness. The reviewer should do
a random check of the timeliness and accuracy of data entry. Additionally, the reviewer should
obtain selected original data sources (such as field reports) and compare them to the appropriate
database output to determine how long entry takes. This will provide a check on how current the
database is and what data entry backlog exists.
2.1.6 SSO Notification Program
The owner or operator should maintain a written procedure indicating the entities, (e.g., drinking
water purveyors, the public, public health officials, and the
regulatory authority) that should be notified in the event of
an SSO. The procedure should clearly indicate the chain of
communication used to notify the proper personnel of an
SSO event for reporting and remediation. The procedure
should include the names, titles, phone numbers, and
responsibility of all personnel involved. The reviewer
should verify that the personnel listed in the procedure are
still in the position listed and are aware of their
responsibilities.
Reviewer - Point to Note
To verify the effectiveness of the
notification program, the reviewer
should walk an overflow
occurrence report through the chain
of events that would occur from
the time of initial notification.
The procedure may allow for different levels of response for different types of SSOs. For
example, the regulatory authority may request that SSOs due to sewer line obstructions be
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Guide for Evaluating CMOM Programs at Sanitary Sewer Collection Systems
reported on a monthly basis. Therefore, the procedure may simply be to gather this information
from the maintenance information system and have the appropriate personnel put together a
reporting form. A chronic SSO at a pump station that discharges when overloaded during wet
weather may require a more complex notification procedure, including immediate telephone
notification to specified authorities.
To verify the effectiveness of the notification program, the reviewer should walk an overflow
occurrence report through the chain of events that would occur from the time of initial
notification. This can be done by choosing several random overflow events from the complaint
records and observing whether they are handled as procedures dictate. The minimum information
that should be reported for an SSO includes the date, time, location, cause, volume of the
overflow (which may be estimated), how it was stopped, and any remediation methods taken.
The reviewer should not only verify that the SSO notification procedures are appropriate, but
also verify that the owner or operator has reliable methods for the detection of overflows and a
phone number or hotline for the public to report observed overflow events.
2.1.7 Legal Authority
The collection system owner or operator should select and
enforce the legal authority necessary to regulate the
volume of flow entering the collection system, including
residential and commercial customers, satellite
A satellite community is a
collection systems which does not
own the treatment facility to which
,.,,., T,, , , ,, it discharges.
communities and industrial users. The legal authority may
take the form of sewer use ordinances, contracts, service
agreements, and other legally binding documents.
The pretreatment program seeks to prevent the discharge of materials into the sewer system (by
non-domestic users) that interfere with proper operation of the wastewater treatment plant or
may pass through the plant untreated. At the time the operator of a wastewater treatment plant
submits its pretreatment program to the regulatory authority for approval, the plant operator must
include a statement from the city solicitor or other legal authority that the plant has the authority
to carry out the program [40 CFR 403.9(a)(l)]. The reviewer should verify the existence of this
statement and inquire as to whether any significant changes have occurred in the program such
that the legal authority may need further review. Additionally, some owners or operators may
have a pretreatment program approved by the state, through which discharge permits are issued
to industrial users and enforcement is conducted. Further information on legal authority under
the pretreatment program may be found in Procedures Manual for Reviewing a POTW
Pretreatment Program Submission (EPA 1983).
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Guide for Evaluating CMOM Programs at Sanitary Sewer Collection Systems
Procedures Manual
for Reviewing a POTW
Pretreatment Program
Submission
The owner or operator should have the
authority to ensure that new and
rehabilitated sewers and connections
have been properly designed,
constructed, and tested before being put
into service. This authority could take
the form of design and performance
specifications in a sewer use ordinance
or other legal document such as a statute
or series of contracts or joint powers
agreements. The ordinance or legal
document should contain, at a minimum,
general prohibitions, adequate grease
control requirements and measures,
prohibitions on stormwater inflow,
infiltration from laterals, and new
construction standards.
The grease control section of the
document should contain the requirement
to install grease traps at appropriate
facilities (e.g., restaurants). Additionally,
these facilities should be required to properly maintain the grease traps and pump them out on a
regular basis. The document should also address periodic inspections of grease traps by
collection system personnel and the ability to enforce (i.e., levy fines on persistent
offenders).
The owner or operator should maintain
strict control over the connection of
private sewer laterals to sewer mains.
These connections have significant
potential as sources of infiltration.
Standards for new connections should be
clearly specified. The sewer use
ordinance should contain provisions for
inspection, approval of new connections,
and a program to implement the
requirements. A method to maintain
control over existing connections is to
require an inspection of the lateral prior to sale of a property. It is important to note that
implementing this type of program may require a change to the local ordinance or code.
General Prohibitions
• Fire and explosion hazards
• Corrosive and obstructive materials
• Material which may cause interference at the
wastewater treatment plant
• Heat which may inhibit biological activity at
the wastewater treatment plant
• Oils or petroleum products which may cause
interference or pass through the wastewater treatment
plant
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Guide for Evaluating CMOM Programs at Sanitary Sewer Collection Systems
The owner or operator should also have the legal
authority to prohibit stormwater connections to the
sanitary sewer. Stormwater connections may include
catch basins; roof, cellar and yard drains; sump
pumps; direct connections between the storm and
sanitary sewers; leaking manhole covers; uncapped
cleanouts; and the direct entrance of streams into the
collection system. This practice is now discouraged.
Direct stormwater connections to a separate sanitary
sewer system are known as inflow. Inflow can
severely impact the ability of the collection system
to transport flows to the treatment plant during wet
weather, leading to overflows and noncompliance
with the wastewater treatment plant's NPDES
permit.
Sources of stormwater in the collection system
may include building downspouts connected
directly to the system (photo: MMSD).
Owner or Operator - Point to Note
The owner or operator should have a
comprehensive program which
addresses flows from satellite
communities.
Satellite communities should not be allowed to contribute excessive flows that cause or
contribute to overflows, flooding, or noncompliance at the wastewater treatment plant. Should
any of these situations exist, it is not sufficient for the
owner or operator to charge the satellite community for
the excess flow. The owner or operator must be able to
prohibit the contribution of the excess flow. This may be
done through a legal inter-jurisdictional agreement
between the wastewater treatment plant owner or
operator and the satellite community that addresses
allowable flows and sets requirements. The reviewer
should examine all contracts between systems and their
satellites (unless too numerous, then select representative contracts). Contracts should have a
date of termination and allow for renewal under renegotiated terms. Contracts should limit flow
from satellite communities and limit peak wet weather flow rates.
2.2 Collection System Operation
Collection systems have little of what is traditionally
referred to as "operability" as compared to a
wastewater treatment plant (i.e., the number of ways to
route the wastewater is typically limited). However,
the design of some collection systems does allow flow
to be diverted or routed from one pipe to another or
even to different treatment plants. This can be
accomplished by redirecting flow at a pump station
from one discharge point to another or opening and
closing valves on gravity sewers and force mains.
Owner or Operator - Point to Note
There should be detailed, written
procedures available to guide owners
or operators through flow routing
activities. Also, there should be
operating procedures for mechanical
equipment such as pump station pump
on/off and service rotation settings or
in-line grit removal (grit trap)
operations.
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Guide for Evaluating CMOM Programs at Sanitary Sewer Collection Systems
There are many reasons why the owner or operator may want to divert flows; among them, to
relieve overloading on a system of piping or the wastewater treatment plant or to add more flow
to piping serving an area not yet fully developed to maintain a cleansing velocity.
2.2.1 Budgeting
The budget is one of the most important variables in the CMOM program. Although an adequate
budget is not a guarantee of a well operated collection system, an inadequate budget will make
attaining this goal difficult. Funding can come from a
variety of sources, including user fees or appropriations
from the state or local government.
Reviewer - Point to Note
Reviewers need to determine the
source of the funding for the collection
system and who controls it. Reviewers
should also request budget documents,
summaries, or pie charts to learn more
about the systems' budget.
A key element of the operation budget program is the
tracking of costs in order to have accurate records each
time the annual operating budget is developed. Having
an annual baseline provides documentation for future
budget considerations and provides justification for
future rate increases. Collection system management
should be aware of the procedures for calculating user rates and for recommending and making
user rate changes.
Collection system and wastewater treatment plant costs may be combined into one budget, or
budget line items may be divided into each of two individual budgets. For example, electrical
and mechanical maintenance work performed by plant staff on a pump station may be carried as
an O&M cost in the treatment plant budget, although pumping stations are generally considered
to be a collection system component.
The cost of preventive and corrective
maintenance and major collection system
repairs and alterations are key items in the
annual operating budget. The collection
system owner or operator should keep
adequate records of all maintenance costs,
both in-house and contracted, plus the costs
for spare parts. This will assist in the
preparation of the following year's budget. In
general, there should be an annual (12-month
cycle) budget of discretionary and non-
discretionary items. There may also be a Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) which may encompass
small projects (one to two year cycles) or larger projects (three to five year cycles). Larger
projects may include items such as equipment, labor, training, or root cause failure analysis.
The major categories of operating costs are labor, utilities, and supplies. Cost accounting for
Examples of O&M Budget Items
• Labor (usually at least 50% of total budget)
• Utilities
• Capital
• Maintenance materials and supplies
• Chemicals
• Motor vehicles
• Contracted services
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Guide for Evaluating CMOM Programs at Sanitary Sewer Collection Systems
these categories should include information on unit costs, total costs, and the amount and/or
quantities used. The reviewer should evaluate the current and proposed budget, and current year
balance sheets. In examining current and proposed expenditure levels, the reviewer should
consider:
Whether the budgets include contributions to capital reserve (sinking) funds. These funds
are savings for replacement of system components once they reach their service life.
• Whether all income from water and sewer billings supports those functions, or if it goes
into the general fund.
• Whether raising user fees is a feasible option to meet budget needs based on recent
expenditure history.
2.2.2 Monitoring
The collection system owner or operator may be responsible for fulfilling some water quality or
other monitoring requirements. Responsibilities may include:
• Monitoring discharges into the collection system from industrial users
• Monitoring to determine the effects of SSOs on receiving waters
• Monitoring required as part of an NPDES permit, a 308 letter, administrative order, or
consent decree
The owner or operator should maintain written procedures to ensure that sampling is carried out
in a safe, effective, and consistent manner. The procedures should specify, at a minimum the
following:
• Sampling location(s)
• Sample volumes, preservatives, and holding times
• Instructions for the operation of any automatic sampling and/or field monitoring (e.g., pH
or dissolved oxygen) equipment
Sampling frequency
Sampling and analytical methodologies
Laboratory QA/QC
Records should be maintained of sampling events. These records should at a minimum include
the following:
• Date, time, and location of sampling
Sample parameters
Date shipped or delivered to the laboratory
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Guide for Evaluating CMOM Programs at Sanitary Sewer Collection Systems
2.2.3 Hydrogen Sulfide Monitoring and Control
The collection system owner or operator
should have a program under which they
monitor areas of the collection system which
may be vulnerable to the adverse effects of
hydrogen sulfide. It may be possible to
perform visual inspections of these areas. The
records should note such items as the condition
of metal components, the presence of exposed
rebar (metal reinforcement in concrete), copper
sulfate coating on copper pipes and electrical
components, and loss of concrete from the pipe
crown or walls.
Areas Subject to Generation of
Hydrogen Sulfide:
Sewers with low velocity conditions and/or
long detention times
Sewers subject to solids deposition
Pump stations
Turbulent areas, such as drop manholes or
force main discharge points
Inverted siphon discharges
As mentioned in Section 2.4.2, the collection system owner or operator should be carrying out
routine manhole inspections. The hydrogen sulfide readings generated as a result of these
inspections should be added to the records of potential
areas of corrosion. A quick check of the pH of the pipe
crown or structure enables early indication of potential
hydrogen sulfide corrosion. A pH of less than four
indicates further investigation is warranted. "Coupons"
may be installed in structures or pipelines believed to be
potentially subject to corrosion. Coupons are small
pieces of steel inserted into the area and measured
periodically to determine whether corrosion is occurring.
Reviewer - Point to Note
The reviewer should be aware that a
system in which infiltration and inflow
(I/I) has successfully been reduced may
actually face an increased risk of
corrosion. The reviewer should pay
particular attention to the hydrogen
sulfide monitoring program in these
systems.
The reduction of flow through the pipes allows room for
hydrogen sulfide gases to rise into the airway portion of
the sewer pipe and react with the bacteria and moisture on the pipe walls to form sulfuric acid.
Sulfuric acid corrodes ferrous metals and concrete.
There are several methods to prevent or control hydrogen sulfide corrosion. The first is proper
design. Design considerations are beyond the scope of this manual but may be found in the
Design Manual: Odor and Corrosion Control in Sanitary Sewerage Systems and Treatment
Plants (EPA 1985). The level of dissolved sulfide in the wastewater may also be reduced by
chemical or physical means such as aeration, or the addition of chlorine, hydrogen peroxide,
potassium permanganate, iron salts, or sodium hydroxide. Whenever chemical control agents are
used, the owner or operator should have procedures for their application and maintain records of
the dosages of the various chemicals. Alternatively, sewer cleaning to remove deposited solids
reduces hydrogen sulfide generation. Also, air relief valves may be installed at the high points of
the force main system. The valve allows air to exit thus avoiding air space at the crown of the
pipe where acid can form. The reviewer should examine the records to see that these valves are
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Guide for Evaluating CMOM Programs at Sanitary Sewer Collection Systems
receiving periodic maintenance.
Collection systems vary widely in their vulnerability to hydrogen sulfide corrosion. Vitrified
clay and plastic pipes are very resistant to hydrogen sulfide corrosion while concrete, steel, and
iron pipes are more susceptible. The physical aspects of the collection system are also important.
Sewage in pipes on a decline that moves the wastewater at a higher velocity will have less
hydrogen sulfide than sewage in pipes where the wastewater may experience longer detention
times. Therefore, some systems may need a more comprehensive corrosion control program
while some might limit observations to vulnerable points.
2.2.4 Safety
The reasons for development of a safety program should be obvious for any collection system
owner or operator. The purpose of the program is to define the principles under which the work
is to be accomplished, to make the employees aware of
safe working procedures, and to establish and enforce
specific regulations and procedures. The program
should be in writing (e.g., procedures, policies, and
training courses) and training should be well
documented.
Point to Note
Although a safety program may not be
explicitly required under current
NPDES regulations, an excessive
injury rate among personnel increases
the likelihood of collection system
noncompliance with other
requirements. Furthermore, when good
safety practices are not followed, there
may be a risk to the public or to
collection system workers.
The purpose of safety training is to stress the
importance of safety to employees. Safety training can
be accomplished through the use of manuals,
meetings, posters, and a safely suggestion program.
One of the most common reasons for injury and
fatalities in wastewater collection systems is the
failure of victims to recognize hazards. Safety training
cuts across all job descriptions and should emphasize
the need to recognize and address hazardous situations. Safety programs should be in place for
the following areas:
• Confined spaces
• Chemical handling
• Trenching and excavations
Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS)
Biological hazards in wastewater
Traffic control and work site safety
• Lockout/Tagout
• Electrical and mechanical safety
• Pneumatic or hydraulic systems safety
The collection system owner or operator should have written procedures which address all of the
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Guide for Evaluating CMOM Programs at Sanitary Sewer Collection Systems
above issues and are made available to employees. In addition to training, safety programs
should incorporate procedures to enforce the program.
For example, this could include periodic tests or "pop"
quizzes to monitor performance and/or compliance
and follow-up on safety related incidents.
Reviewer - Point to Note
The reviewer should, in the course of
interviewing personnel, determine their
familiarity with health and safety
procedures according to their job
description.
The owner or operator should maintain all of the safety
equipment necessary for system staff to perform their
daily activities and also undertake any emergency
repairs. This equipment should include, at minimum:
Atmospheric gas testing equipment
Respirators and/or self-contained breathing apparatus
• Full body harness
• Tripods or non-entry rescue equipment
• Hard hats
• Safety glasses
Rubber boots
Rubber and/or disposable gloves
Antibacterial soap
First aid kit
• Protective clothing
• Confined space ventilation equipment
• Traffic and/or public access control equipment
• Hazardous gas meter
Each field crew vehicle should have adequate health and safety supplies. If the reviewer has
access to the municipal vehicle storage area, he or she might choose to check actual vehicle
stocks, not just supplies in storage.
2.2.5 Emergency Preparedness and
Response
The collection system owner or operator
should have a comprehensive plan in place for
dealing with both routine and catastrophic
emergencies. Routine emergencies include
situations such as overflowing manholes, line
breaks, localized electrical failure, and power
outages at pump stations. Catastrophic
emergencies include floods, tornados,
earthquakes, other natural events, serious
chemical spills, or widespread electrical
SSOs can include overflows out of manholes onto city
streets, sidewalks, and surrounding areas (photo: U.S.
EPA).
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Guide for Evaluating CMOM Programs at Sanitary Sewer Collection Systems
failure. Ideally, this plan is written, reviewed, and adjusted as needed at periodic intervals.
The reviewer should determine if the emergency response plan generally follows the guidelines
described below. The location where the plan is housed may vary but, in general, such a
document should be available in the yard office or other building commonly accessible to and
frequented by collection system personnel. The emergency preparedness and response
procedures may be contained in the collection system's O&M manual, or may be reflected in the
descriptions of equipment and unit operations. Putting emergency procedures in a stand-alone
document, rather than combining it with other information in the O&M manual, makes it easier
for collection system personnel to find information.
The plan should utilize the most current information on the collection system. For larger
systems, a structured analysis, or risk assessment, should be made of the collection system,
treatment plant, and the community. The risk assessment should identify areas where the
collection system is vulnerable to failure and determine the effect and relative severity to
collection systems operations, equipment and public safety, and health of such a failure. The risk
assessment should concentrate on such factors as topography, weather, sewer system size, and
other site-specific factors which reflect the unique characteristics of the system. Once the areas
of vulnerability are known, the collection system owner or operator should have appropriate
plans in place to ensure collection system operations continue for the duration of the emergency.
The plans must clearly identify the steps staff should take in the event of emergency situations.
Plans should include information on when it is appropriate to initiate and cease emergency
operations. The plans should be very specific as to the collection system or repair equipment
involved. Instructions should be available which explain how to operate equipment or systems
during an emergency event when they are not functioning as intended but are not fully
inoperable. The plan should also include specific procedures for reporting events that result in an
overflow or other noncompliance event to the appropriate authorities.
The owner or operator should track emergency situations to become better prepared for future
emergencies and to assist with reporting and maintaining compliance with emergency-related
requirements. Typical components of an emergency program may include:
• General information regarding emergencies, such as telephone numbers of collection
system personnel, fire department, and ambulance.
• Identification of hazards (e.g., chlorine storage areas) and use of universal classification
system for hazards: combustible material, flammable liquids, energized electrical circuits,
and hazardous materials.
• Vulnerability analysis that identifies the various types of emergencies that could occur,
such as natural disasters, power outages, or equipment failures.
• Emergency response procedures.
• Methods to reduce risk of emergencies.
• Responsibilities of staff and management.
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Guide for Evaluating CMOM Programs at Sanitary Sewer Collection Systems
• Continuous training.
Procedures for emergency response plans should be understood and practiced by all personnel in
order to ensure safety of the public and the collection system personnel responding. Procedures
should be specific to the type of emergency that could occur. It is important to keep detailed
records of all past emergencies in order to constantly improve response training, as well as the
method and timing of future responses. The ability to deal with emergencies depends on the
knowledge and skill of the responding crews, in addition to availability of equipment. The crew
should be able to rapidly diagnose problems in the field under stress and select the right
equipment needed to correct the problem. If resources are limited, consideration should be given
to contracting other departments or private industries to respond to some emergency situations,
for example, those rare emergencies that would exceed the capacity of staff.
2.2.6 Modeling
Computer programs (modeling programs) are available that are capable of simulating the
different flows within the collection system. The purpose of modeling is to determine system
capacity requirements with respect to sewer design and structural conditions. Therefore the input
of accurate data on sizes, location, elevation, and condition of sewer system components such as
pipes, manholes, and pump stations is necessary. When _
possible, flow monitoring data should be used to
calibrate the model.
Modeling is also useful in examining effects before and
after rehabilitation. For example, models can be applied
, u, r " j « n. " • ^ ^ cc A * Has user support
to before and after scenarios to estimate the effects
Reviewer - Point to Note
The reviewer should determine
whether a model used by the owner or
operator:
Has adequate documentation such as
a user's manual that describes data
input requirements, output to be
expected, model capabilities and
limitations, and hardware
of repairs. If a collection system is not experiencing any
capacity related issues (i.e., overflows, bypasses,
basement backups, street flooding, hydraulic overload at
the treatment plant, etc.) then maintenance of a model
may be optional for that system, although most medium
and large systems should maintain a model of the larger
diameter portion of their system. If any of the mentioned
conditions are occurring then development and maintenance of a model is essential to
performing a capacity assessment in the problem areas.
Computer modeling is a specialized and complex subject. The reviewer may not have a
comprehensive knowledge of modeling. If this is the case the he or she should obtain the
following basic information:
• Is the owner or operator using a model?
• What areas of the collection system are being modeled and why?
• What model (including the version) is being used? Who developed the model and when?
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Guide for Evaluating CMOM Programs at Sanitary Sewer Collection Systems
• How are the modeling results being used?
2.2.7 Mapping
The importance of maintaining accurate, current maps of the collection system cannot be
overstated. Efficient collection system maintenance and repairs are unlikely if mapping is not
adequate. Collection system maps should clearly indicate the information that personnel need to
carry out their assignments. The collection system maps should contain information on the
following:
Main, trunk and interceptor sewers
Building/house laterals
• Manholes
Cleanouts
• Force mains
• Pump stations
• Service area boundaries
• Other landmarks (roads, water bodies, etc.)
Collection system maps should have a numbering system which uniquely identifies all manholes
and sewer cleanouts. The system should be simple and easy to understand. Manholes and sewer
cleanouts should have permanently assigned numbers and never be renumbered. Maps should
also indicate the property served and reference its cleanout.
Sewer line maps should indicate the diameter, the length between the centers of manholes, and
the slope or direction of flow. The dimensions of easements and property lines should be
included on the maps. Other information that should be included on maps are access and
overflow points, a scale, and a north arrow. All maps should have the date the map was drafted
and the date of the last revision. Although optional, maps often include materials of pipe
construction. Maps may come in different
sizes and scales to be used for different
purposes. Detailed local maps may be used
by maintenance or repair crews to perform
the duties. However, these detailed local
maps should be keyed to one overall map
that shows the entire system.
Geographic Information System (GIS)
technology have made the mapping and map
updating process considerably more
efficient. GIS is a computerized mapping
program capable of combining mapping
with detailed information about the physical
Key Design Characteristics
Line locations, grades, depths, and capacities
Maximum manhole spacing and size
Minimum pipe size
Pumping Station dimensions and capacities
Drop manholes
Flow velocities and calculations (peak flow and
low-flow)
Accessibility features
Other technical specifications (e.g., materials,
equipment)
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Guide for Evaluating CMOM Programs at Sanitary Sewer Collection Systems
structures within the collection system. If a GIS program is being used by the owner or operator,
the reviewer should ask if the program is capable of accepting information from the owner or
operator's management program.
Specific procedures should be established for correction of errors and updating maps and
drawings. Field personnel should be properly trained to recognize discrepancies between field
conditions and map data and record changes necessary to correct the existing mapping system.
Reviewers should check to see that maps and plans are available to the personnel in the office
and to field personnel or contractors involved in all engineering endeavors.
2.2.8 New Construction
The owner or operator should maintain strict control over the introduction of flows into the
system from new construction. New construction may be public (i.e., an expansion of the
collection system) or private (i.e., a developer constructing sewers for a new development).
Quality sanitary sewer designs keep costs and problems associated with operations, maintenance,
and construction to a minimum. Design flaws are difficult to correct once construction is
complete. The reviewer should be aware that this has historically not been adequately addressed
in some collection systems. The owner or operator should have standards for new construction,
procedures for reviewing designs and protocols for inspection, start-up, testing, and approval of
new construction. The procedures should provide documentation of all activities, especially
inspection. Reviewers should examine construction inspection records and be able to answer the
following:
• Does the volume of records seem reasonable given system size?
• Do records reflect that the public works inspectors are complying with procedures?
The state or other regulatory authority may also maintain standards for new construction. The
standards held by the owner or operator should be at least as stringent. Start-up and testing
should be in accordance with the manufacturers' recommendation where applicable and with
recognized industry practices. Each step of the review, start-up, testing, and approval procedures
should be documented.
The owner or operator approval procedure should reflect future ease of maintenance concerns.
After construction is complete, a procedure for construction testing and inspection should be
used. Construction supervision should be provided by qualified personnel such as a registered
professional engineer.
2.2.9 Pump Stations
Proper operation, maintenance, and repair of pump stations typically requires special electrical,
hydraulic, and mechanical knowledge. Pump station failure may damage equipment, the
environment, or endanger public health. Variation in equipment types, pump station
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Guide for Evaluating CMOM Programs at Sanitary Sewer Collection Systems
configuration, and geographical factors determine pump station design and O&M requirements.
The reviewer should verify that the O&M manual contains procedures in writing for the
following:
• Are pumps rotated manually or automatically? If manually, how frequently?
• Are wet well operating levels set to limit pump starts and stops?
• Is there a procedure for manipulating pump operations (manually or automatically)
during wet weather to increase in-line storage of wet weather flows?
Is flow monitoring provided? How is the data collected used?
Does the pump station have capacity-related overflows? Maintenance related overflows?
Is overflow monitoring provided?
Is there a history of power outages? Is there a source of emergency power? If the
emergency power source is a generator, is it regularly exercised under load?
2.3 Equipment and Collection System Maintenance
Every collection system owner or operator should have a well-planned, systematic, and
comprehensive maintenance program. The goals of a maintenance program should include:
• Prevention of overflows
• Maximization of service and system reliability at minimum cost
• Assurance of infrastructure sustainability (i.e., ensure all components reach their service
life)
There should then be procedures which describe the maintenance approach for various systems.
In addition, there should be detailed instructions for the maintenance and repair of individual
facilities. These instructions should provide a level of detail such that any qualified collection
system personnel or repair technician could perform the repair or maintenance activity.
Maintenance may be planned or unplanned. There are essentially two types of planned
maintenance; predictive and preventive. Predictive maintenance is a method that tries to look for
early warning signs of equipment failure such that emergency maintenance is avoided.
Preventive maintenance consists of scheduled maintenance activities performed on a regular
basis. There are two types of unplanned maintenance, corrective and emergency. Corrective
maintenance consists of scheduled repairs to problems identified under planned or predictive
maintenance. Emergency maintenance are activities (typically repairs) performed in response to
a serious equipment or line failure where action must be taken immediately. The goal of every
owner or operator should be to reduce corrective and emergency maintenance through the use of
planned and predictive maintenance. The reviewer should evaluate the progress of the owner or
operator in achieving that goal. The goals of the reviewer in assessment of the maintenance
program are:
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Guide for Evaluating CMOM Programs at Sanitary Sewer Collection Systems
• Identify SSOs caused by inadequate maintenance
Determine maintenance trends (i.e., frequent emergency maintenance performed as
opposed to predictive maintenance)
Identify sustainability issues (i.e., inadequate maintenance to allow system components
to reach service life and/or many components nearing or at service life)
2.3.1 Maintenance Budgeting
The cost of a maintenance program is a significant part of the annual operating budget. The
collection system owner or operator should track all maintenance costs incurred throughout the
year, both by internal staff and contractors, to ensure that the budget is based on representative
costs from past years. Budgets should be developed from past cost records which usually are
categorized according to preventive maintenance, corrective maintenance, and projected and
actual major repair requirements. Annual costs should be compared to the budget periodically to
control maintenance expenditures.
The reviewer should evaluate the maintenance budget keeping in mind the system's
characteristics, such as age. Costs for emergency repairs should be a relatively small percentage
of the budget; five to ten percent would not be considered excessive. The establishment of an
"emergency reserve" may also be included as part of the maintenance budget. This is especially
useful where full replacement is not funded. The budget should also be considered in light of
maintenance work order backlog. The labor budget should be evaluated for consistency with
local pay rates and staffing needs and the reviewer should compare local pay rates and staffing
needs according to the tables in Section 2.1.1.
2.3.2 Planned and Unplanned Maintenance
A planned maintenance program is a systematic approach to performing maintenance activities
so that equipment failure is avoided. Planned maintenance is composed of predictive and
preventive maintenance. In the end, a good planned maintenance program should reduce material
and capital repair and replacement costs, improve personnel utilization and morale, reduce SSOs,
and sustain public confidence.
Examples of predictive maintenance includes monitoring equipment for early warning signs of
impending failure, such as excess vibration, heat, dirty
oil, and leakage. Assessment and inspection activities
can be classified as predictive maintenance. Vibration
and lubrication analyses, thermography, and ultrasonics
are among the more common predictive maintenance
tools. Predictive maintenance also takes into account
i • , • i • r- ,• i , ,1 , 11 , ultrasonics are used, and obtain
historical information about the system as all systems . - t. t, ' t ft,
. . •; . J information on the extent of the
will deteriorate over time. A predictive maintenance programs
program strives to identify potential problem areas and
2-28
Reviewer - Point to Note
The reviewer should inquire as to
whether tools such as vibration and
lubrication analysis, thermography, or
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Guide for Evaluating CMOM Programs at Sanitary Sewer Collection Systems
uncover trends that could affect equipment performance. Predictive maintenance offers an early
warning. It allows collection system personnel to detect early signs of increasing rates of wear
and therefore failure, and thus shift a "corrective" task into a "planned" task. To be truly
effective predictive, however, maintenance should not spur personnel into doing the work too
soon and wasting useful life and value of the equipment in question.
The basis of a good predictive maintenance program is recordkeeping. Only with accurate
recordkeeping can baseline conditions be established, problem areas identified, and a proactive
approach taken to repairs and replacement.
Effective preventive maintenance minimizes system costs and environmental impacts by
reducing breakdowns and thus the need for corrective or emergency maintenance, improves
reliability by minimizing the time equipment is out of service, increases the useful life of
equipment thus avoiding costly premature replacement, and avoids potential noncompliance
situations. An effective preventive maintenance program includes:
• Trained personnel
Scheduling based on system specific knowledge
Detailed instructions related to the maintenance of various pieces of equipment
A system for recordkeeping
System knowledge in the form of maps, historical knowledge and records
An effective preventive maintenance program
,., , , . . . . . , Lubrication
builds on the inspection activities and
predictive maintenance described in Sections
2.4.1 to 2.4.4, and includes a well thought-out
schedule for these activities.
Lubrication is probably one of the most important
maintenance activities for mechanical systems, such as
pumps and motors. Frequency of lubrication, choice of
lubricant and lubrication procedure are all important
_,,,.„, 1 1 1 r- 1-1 factors in this activity. These items should closely
The basis of the schedule for mechanical follow manufacturer instructions, but may be modified
to fit site-specific conditions and particular equipment
applications.
equipment maintenance (i.e., pump station
components) should be the manufacturers'
recommended activities and frequencies. This
schedule may then be augmented by the
knowledge and experience of collection system personnel to reflect the site-specific
requirements. The schedule for sewer line cleaning, inspection, root removal, and repair
activities should be based on periodic inspection data. In most systems, uniform frequencies for
sewer line cleaning, inspection, and root removal are not necessary and inefficient. In many
systems, a relatively small percentage of the pipe generates most of the problems. Efficient use
of inspection data allows the owner or operator to implement a schedule in the most constructive
manner. In rare cases it may be appropriate to reduce maintenance frequency for a particular
piece of equipment. An example of a scheduling code and maintenance schedule for a pump is
shown below:
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Guide for Evaluating CMOM Programs at Sanitary Sewer Collection Systems
Rotary Pump Maintenance Schedule
Frequency
D
D
S
A
Maintenance Required
Check packing gland assembly
Check discharge pressure
Inspect and lubricate bearings
Flush bearings and replace lubricant
D = Daily
S = Semiannually
A = Annually
Typically, there is a maintenance card or record for each piece of equipment within the
collection system. These records should contain maintenance recommendations, schedule, and
instructions on conducting the specific maintenance activity. The records should include
documentation regarding any maintenance activities conducted to date and other observations
related to that piece of equipment or system. Maintenance records are generally kept where
maintenance personnel have easy access to them. The reviewer should examine the full series of
periodic work orders (i.e. weekly, monthly, semiannually, and annually) for a selection of system
components (e.g., a few pump stations, several line segments). The reviewer should then
compare the recommended maintenance frequency to that which is actually performed. He or she
should also look at the backlog of work; not focusing solely on the number of backlogged work
orders, but on what that number represents in time. A very large system can have a hundred
orders backlogged and only be one week behind. In a computerized system, a listing of all open
work orders is usually very simple for collection system personnel to generate. The owner or
operator should be able to explain their system for prioritizing work orders.
The reviewer needs to clearly understand the following:
• How the maintenance data management system works
• How work orders are generated and distributed
• How field crews use the work orders
How data from the field is collected and returned
How and on whose authority work orders are closed out
The reviewer should check to see if data entry is timely and up to date.
Unplanned maintenance is that which takes place in response to equipment breakdowns or
emergencies. Unplanned maintenance may be corrective or emergency maintenance. Corrective
maintenance could occur as a result of preventive or predictive maintenance activities which
identified a problem situation. A work order should be issued so that the request for corrective
maintenance is directed to the proper personnel. An example of non-emergency corrective
maintenance could be a broken belt on a belt driven pump. The worn belt was not detected and
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Guide for Evaluating CMOM Programs at Sanitary Sewer Collection Systems
replaced through preventive maintenance and therefore the pump is out of service until
corrective maintenance can be performed. Although the pump station may function with one
pump out of service, should another pump fail, the situation may become critical during peak
flow periods.
If the information can be easily generated the reviewer should select a sampling of work orders
and compare them to the corrective maintenance database to determine if repairs are being made
in a timely manner. Reviewers should note the current backlog of corrective maintenance work
orders. A corrective maintenance backlog of two weeks or less would indicate an owner or
operator in control of corrective maintenance. The owner or operator should be able to explain
corrective maintenance work orders that have not been completed within six months.
Corrective maintenance takes resources
away from predictive and preventive
maintenance. When corrective
maintenance becomes a predominant
activity, personnel may not be able to
perform planned maintenance, thus
leading to more corrective maintenance
and emergency situations. Emergency
maintenance occurs when a piece of
equipment or system fails, creating a
threat to public health, the
environment, or associated equipment.
This type of maintenance involves
repairs, on short notice, of
malfunctioning equipment or sewers. A
broken force main, totally non- ^^™
functional pump station, and street
cave-ins are all examples of emergency situations.
Emergency crews should be geared to a 24-hour-a-day, year-round operation. Most large
systems have staffed 24-hour crews; many small systems have an "on-call" system. The owner
or operator should be able to produce written
procedures which spell out the type of action to take in
a particular type of emergency and the equipment and
personnel requirements necessary to carry out the
action. The crews should have copies of these
procedures and be familiar with them. Equipment must
be located in an easily accessible area and be ready to
move in a short period of time. Vehicles and
equipment must be ready to perform, under extreme
climatic conditions if necessary. The emergency crew
Types of Portable Emergency Equipment
Bypass pumps
Portable generator
Air compressor, trailer-mounted
Manhole lifters and gas testing equipment
Sewer rodder and/or flushing machine
Portable lights and hand tools
Chemical spray units (for insects and rodent control)
Truck (1-ton) and trailers
Vacuum truck
Repair equipment for excavation (backhoe, shoring
equipment, concrete mixers, gasoline operated saws,
traffic control equipment, etc.)
Confined space entry gear
Reviewer - Point to Note
The reviewer should note the presence
of supplies during the review of the
yard where equipment and spare parts
are maintained and personnel are
dispatched.
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Guide for Evaluating CMOM Programs at Sanitary Sewer Collection Systems
may need materials such as piping, pipe fittings, bedding materials and concrete. The owner or
operator should have supplies on hand to allow for two point (i.e. segment, fitting, or
appurtenance) repairs of any part of its system.
Pump stations should be subject to inspection and preventive maintenance on a regular schedule
The frequency of inspection may vary from once a week, for a reliable pump station equipped
with a telemetry system, to continuous staffing at a large pump station. The basic inspection
should include verification that alarm systems are
operating properly, wet well levels are properly set, all
Owner or Operator - Point to Note
Occasionally a supervisor should
perform an unscheduled inspection to
confirm that tasks have been performed
as expected.
indicator lights and voltage readings are within
acceptable limits, suction and discharge pressures are
within normal limits, that the pumps are running without
excessive heat or vibration and have the required amount
of lubrication, and that the emergency generator is ready
if needed. Less frequent inspections may include such
items as vibration analysis and internal inspection of
pump components.
Observations and tasks performed should be recorded in a log book or on a checklist at the pump
station. It is important to note how this data returns to the central maintenance data management
system. At the time of the inspection, collection system personnel may perform minor repairs if
necessary. If non-emergency repairs are required that are beyond the staffs training, it will
probably be necessary to prepare a work order which routs a request though the proper channels
to initiate the repair action. During the review the reviewer should check a random number of
work orders to see how they move through the system. The reviewer should note whether repairs
are being carried out promptly. In pump stations, for critical equipment (pumps, drives, power
equipment, and control equipment), there should not be much backlog, unless the staff is waiting
for parts.
During the review, the reviewer should also make on-site observations of a representative pump
stations. The reviewer should plan at least half an hour to look at the simplest two-pump
prefabricated station, and one to two hours to look at a larger station. In large systems, drive time
between stations may be significant. The reviewer should strive to see a range of pump station
sizes and types (i.e., the largest, smallest, most remote and any that review of work orders has
indicated might be problematic).
Overall, the pump station should be clean, in good structural condition and exhibit minimal odor.
The reviewer should note the settings of the pumps (i.e., which are operating, which are on
stand-by, and which are not operating and why). The operating pumps should be observed for
noise, heat, and excessive vibration. The settings in the wet well should be noted (as indicated on
the controls, as direct observation of the reviewer in the wet well is not recommended) and the
presence of any flashing alarm lights. The reviewer is reminded of the atmospheric hazards in a
pump station (make sure ventilation has been running prior to arrival) and to avoid confined
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Guide for Evaluating CMOM Programs at Sanitary Sewer Collection Systems
space entry. If the pump station has an overflow its outlet should be observed, if possible, for
signs of any recent overflows such as floatable materials or toilet paper. The reviewer should
check the log book and/or checklist kept at the pump station to ensure that records are current
and all maintenance activities have been performed. Below is a listing of items that indicate
inadequate maintenance:
• Overall poor housekeeping and cleanliness
• Excessive grease accumulation in wet well
• Excessive corrosion on railings, ladders, and other metal components
Sagging, worn, improperly sized, or inadequate belts
Excessive equipment out of service for repair or any equipment for which repair has not
been ordered (i.e., a work order issued)
• Pumps running with excessive heat, vibration, or noise
• Peeling paint and/or dirty equipment (the care given to equipment's outer surfaces often,
but not always, mirrors internal condition)
• Check valves not closing when pumps shut off
• Inoperative instrumentation, alarms, and recording equipment
"Jury-rigged" repairs (i.e., "temporary" repairs using inappropriate materials)
Leakage from pumps, piping, or valves (some types of pump seals are designed to "leak"
seal water)
Inadequate lighting or ineffective/inoperative ventilation equipment
2.3.3 Sewer Cleaning
The purpose of sewer cleaning is to remove accumulated material from the sewer. Cleaning
helps to prevent blockages and is also used to prepare the sewer for inspections. Stoppages in
gravity sewers are usually
caused by a structural defect,
poor design, poor construction,
an accumulation of material in
Results of Various Flow Velocities
Velocity Result
2.Oft/sec Very little material buildup in pipe
1.4-2.0 ft/sec Heavier grit (sand and gravel) begin
to accumulate
1.0-1.4 ft/sec Inorganic grit and solids accumulate
Below 1.0 ft/sec Significant amounts of organic and
inorganic solids accumilate
(EPA 1974)
the pipe (especially grease), or
root intrusion. Protruding traps
(lateral sewer connections
incorrectly installed so that they
protrude into the main sewer)
may catch debris which then
causes a further buildup of
solids that eventually block the
sewer. If the flow is less than
approximately 1.0 to 1.4 feet per second, grit and solids can accumulate leading to a potential
blockage.
There are three major methods of sewer cleaning: hydraulic, mechanical, and chemical.
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Guide for Evaluating CMOM Programs at Sanitary Sewer Collection Systems
Hydraulic cleaning (also referred to as flushing) refers to any application of water to clean the
pipe. Mechanical cleaning uses physical devices to scrape, cut, or pull material from the sewer.
Chemical cleaning can facilitate the control of
odors, grease buildup, root growth, corrosion,
and insect and rodent infestation. For additional
information on sewer cleaning methods refer to
Volumes I and II of Operation and
Maintenance ofWastewater Collection Systems
(CSU Sacramento 1996 and 1998).
Sewer Cleaning Records
Date, time, and location of stoppage or
routine cleaning activity
Method of cleaning used
Cause of stoppage
Identity of cleaning crew
Further actions necessary and/or initiated
Weather conditions
The backbone of an effective sewer cleaning
program is accurate recordkeeping. Accurate
recordkeeping provides the collection system
owner or operator with information on the areas
of the collection system susceptible to stoppages such
that all portions of the system can be on an appropriate
schedule. The reviewer should examine the records for
legibility and completeness. He or she should then
review the database to determine if entry of the field
notes is current and accurate.
Sewers vary widely in their need for preventive
cleaning. The collection system in a restaurant district
may require cleaning every six months in order to
prevent grease blockages. An area of the sewer system
with new PVC piping and no significant grease
contribution with reasonable and consistent slopes (i.e.,
no sags) may be able to go five years with no
problems.
Root and grease buildup can cause blockages in a
sewer system [photo: North Carolina Department of
Natural Research (NCDNR)].
The owner or operator should be able to identify
problem collection system areas, preferably on a map.
Potential problem areas identified should include those
due to grease or industrial discharges, hydraulic
bottlenecks in the collection system, areas of poor design (e.g., insufficiently sloped sewers),
areas prone to root intrusion, sags, and displacements. The connection between problem areas in
the collection system and the preventive maintenance cleaning schedule should be clear. The
owner or operator should also be able to identify the number of stoppages experienced per mile
of sewer pipe. If the system is experiencing a steady increase in stoppages, the reviewer should
try to determine the cause (i.e., lack of preventive maintenance funding, deterioration of the
sewers due to age, an increase in grease producing activities, etc).
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2.3.4 Parts and Equipment Inventory
An inventory of spare parts, equipment, and supplies should be maintained by the collection
system owner or operator. The inventory should be based on equipment manufacturer's
recommendations, supplemented by historical experience with maintenance and equipment
problems. Without such an inventory, the collection system may experience long down times or
periods of inefficient operation in the event of a breakdown or malfunction.
Files should be maintained on all pieces of
. A . „. Basic Equipment Inventory
equipment and major tools. The owner or
Type, age, and description of the equipment
Manufacturer
Fuel type and other special requirements
Operating costs and repair history
operator should have a system to assure that
each crew always has adequate tools. Tools
should be subject to sign out procedures to
provide accountability. Tools and equipment
should be replaced at the end of their useful
life. The reviewer should inquire as to how
this is determined and how funds are made available to ensure this is the case. In addition, the
reviewer should look at the tools and note their condition.
The owner or operator should maintain a yard where equipment, supplies, and spare parts are
maintained and personnel are dispatched. Very large systems may maintain more than one yard.
In this case, the reviewer should perform a visual survey at the main yard. In small to medium
size systems, collection system operations may share the yard with the department of public
works, water department, or other municipal agencies. In this case the reviewer should determine
what percentage is being allotted for collection system items. The most important features of the
yard are convenience and accessibility.
The reviewer should observe a random sampling of inspection and maintenance crew vehicles
for equipment as described above. A review of the equipment and manufacturer's manuals aids
in determining what spare parts should be maintained. The owner or operator should then
consider the frequency of usage of the part, how critical the part is, and finally how difficult the
part is to obtain when determining how many
of the part to keep in stock. Spare parts should
be kept in a clean, well-protected stock room.
Critical parts are those which are essential to
the operation of the collection system. Similar
to equipment and tools management, a
tracking system should be in place, including
procedures on logging out materials, when maintenance personnel must use them. The owner or
operator should be able to produce the spare parts inventory and clearly identify those parts
deemed critical. The reviewer should evaluate the inventory and selected items in the stockroom
to determine whether the specified number of these parts are being maintained.
Owner or Operator - Point to Note
The owner or operator should have a procedure for
determining which spare parts are critical.
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2.4 Sewer System Capacity Evaluation - Testing and Inspection
The collection system owner or operator should have a program in place to periodically evaluate
the capacity of the sewer system in both wet and dry weather flows and ensure the capacity is
maintained as it was designed. The capacity evaluation program builds upon ongoing activities
and the everyday preventive maintenance that takes place in a system. The capacity evaluation
begins with an inventory and characterization of the system components. The inventory should
include the following basic information about the system:
Population served
Total system size (feet or miles)
Inventory of pipe length, size, material and age, and interior and exterior condition as
available
• Inventory of appurtenances such as bypasses, siphons, diversions, pump stations, tide or
flood gates and manholes, etc., including size or capacity, material and age, and condition
as available
Force main locations, length, size and materials, and condition as available
Pipe slopes and inverts
Location of house laterals - both upper and lower
The system then undergoes general inspection (described below in Sections 2.4.1 to 2.4.4) which
serves to continuously update and add to the inventory information.
The next step in the capacity evaluation is to identify the location of wet weather related SSOs,
surcharged lines, basement backups, and any
other areas of known capacity limitations.
These areas warrant further investigation in
the form of flow and rainfall monitoring and
inspection procedures to identify and
quantify the problem. The reviewer should
determine that the capacity evaluation
includes an estimate peak flows experienced
in the system, an estimate of the capacity of
key system components, and identifies the
major sources of I/I that contribute to
hydraulic overloading events. The capacity
evaluation should also make use of a
hydraulic model, if any, to identify areas A sewer inspection is an important part of a sewer
.... .. .. . . . . system capacity evaluation (photo: N.J. Department of
with hydraulic limitations and evaluate Environmental Protection).
alternatives to alleviate capacity limitations.
Short and long term alternatives to address
hydraulic deficiencies should be identified, prioritized, and scheduled for implementation.
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2.4.1 Flow Monitoring
Fundamental information about the collection system is obtained by flow monitoring. Flow
monitoring provides information on dry weather flows as well as areas of the collection system
potentially affected by I/I. Flow measurement may also be performed for billing purposes, to
assess the need for new sewers in a certain area, or to calibrate a model. There are three
techniques commonly used for monitoring flow rates: (1) permanent and long-term, (2)
temporary, and (3) instantaneous. Permanent installations are done at key points in the collection
system such as the discharge point of a satellite collection system, pump stations, and key
junctions. Temporary monitoring consists of flow meters typically installed for 30-90 days.
Instantaneous flow metering is performed by collection system personnel, one reading is taken
and then the measuring device is removed. The collection system owner or operator should have
a flow monitoring plan that describes their flow monitoring strategy or should at least be able to
provide the following information:
• Purpose of the flow monitoring
• Location of all flow meters
• Type of flow meters
Flow meter inspection and calibration frequency
A flow monitoring plan should provide for routine inspection, service, and calibration checks (as
opposed to actual calibration). In some cases, the data is calibrated rather than the flow meter.
Checks should include taking independent water level (and ideally velocity readings), cleaning
accumulated debris and silt from the flow meter area, downloading data (sometimes only once
per month), and checking the desiccant and battery state. Records of each inspection should be
maintained.
Flow measurements performed for the purpose of quantifying I/I are typically separated into
three components: base flow, infiltration, and inflow. Base flow is generally taken to mean the
wastewater generated without any I/I component. Infiltration is the seepage of groundwater into
pipes or manholes through defects such as cracks, broken joints, etc. Inflow is the water which
enters the sewer through direct connections such as roof leaders, direct connections from storm
drains or yard, area, and foundation drains, the holes in and around the rim of manhole covers,
etc. Many collection system owners or operators add a third classification: rainfall induced
infiltration (RII). RII is stormwater that enters the collection system through defects that lie so
close to the ground surface that they are easily reached. Although not from piped sources, RII
tends to act more like inflow than infiltration.
In addition to the use of flow meters, which may be expensive for a small owner or operator,
other methods of inspecting flows may be employed such as visually monitoring manholes
during low-flow periods to determine areas with excessive I/I. For a very small system, this
technique may be an effective and low-cost means of identifying problem areas in the system
which require further investigation.
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The owner or operator should have in place a program for the efficient identification of
excessive I/I. The program should look at the wastewater treatment plant, pump stations,
permanent meter flows, and rainfall data to characterize peaking factors for the whole system
and major drainage basins. The reviewer should evaluate the program including procedures and
records associated with the flow monitoring plan. Temporary meters should be used on a
"roving" basis to identify areas with high wet weather flows. Areas with high wet weather flows
should then be subject to inspection and rehabilitation activities.
2.4.2 Sewer System Testing
Sewer system testing techniques are often used to identify leaks which allow unwanted
infiltration into the sewer system and determine the location of illicit connections and other
sources of stormwater inflow. Two commonly implemented techniques include smoke testing
and dyed water testing. Regardless of the program(s) implemented by the owner or operator, the
reviewer should evaluate any procedures and records that have been established for these
programs. The reviewer should also evaluate any public relations program and assess how the
owner or operator communicates with the public during these tests (i.e., when there is a
possibility of smoke entering a home or building).
Smoke testing is a relatively inexpensive and quick
method of detecting sources of inflow in sewer
systems, such as down spouts, or driveway and yard
drains and works best suited for detecting cross
connections and point source inflow leaks. Smoke
testing is not typically used on a routine basis, but
rather when evidence of excessive I/I already
exists. With each end of the sewer of interest
plugged, smoke is introduced into the test section,
Areas Usually Smoke Tested
• Drainage paths
• Ponding areas
• Roof leaders
• Cellars
• Yard and area drains
• Fountain drains
• Abandoned building sewers
,, . , , _ „. „. , • Faulty service connections
usually via a manhole. Sources or inflow can then
be identified when smoke escapes through them.
If the collection system owner or operator implements a regular program of smoke testing, the
program should include a public notification procedure. The owner or operator should also have
procedures to define:
• How line segments are isolated
• The maximum amount of line to be smoked at one time
• The weather conditions in which smoke testing is conducted (i.e., no rain or snow, little
wind and daylight only)
The results of positive smoke tests should be documented with carefully labeled photographs.
Building inspections are sometimes conducted as part of a smoke testing program and, in some
cases, may be the only way to find illegal connections. If properly connected to the sanitary
sewer system, smoke should exit the vent stacks of the surrounding properties. If traces of the
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smoke or its odor enter the building, it is an indication that gases from the sewer system may
also be entering. Building inspections can be labor intensive and require advanced preparation
and communication with the public.
Dyed water testing may be used to establish the connection of a fixture or appurtenance to the
sewer. It is often used to confirm smoke testing or to test fixtures that did not smoke. As is the
case with smoke testing, it is not used on a routine basis but rather in areas that have displayed
high wet weather flows. Dyed water testing can be used to identify structurally damaged
manholes that might create potential I/I problems. This is accomplished by flooding the area
close to the suspected manholes with dyed water and checking for entry of dyed water at the
frame-chimney area, cone/corbel, and walls of the manhole.
2.4.3 Sewer System Inspection
Visual inspection of manholes and pipelines are the first line of defense in the identification of
existing or potential problem areas. Visual inspections should take place on both a scheduled
basis and as part of any preventive or corrective maintenance activity. Visual inspections provide
additional information concerning the accuracy of system mapping, the presence and degree of
I/I problems, and the physical state-of-repair of the system. By observing the manhole directly
and the incoming and outgoing lines with a mirror, it is possible to determine structural
condition, the presence of roots, condition of
joints, depth of debris in the line, and depth of
flow. The reviewer should examine the
records of visual inspections to ensure that
the following information is recorded:
Manhole identification number and
location
Cracks or breaks in the manhole or
pipe (inspection sheets and/or logs
should record details on defects)
Accumulations of grease, debris, or
grit
Wastewater flow characteristics (e.g.,
flowing freely or backed up)
Inflow
Infiltration (presence of clear water in
or flowing through the manhole)
Presence of corrosion
Offsets or misalignments
Condition of the frame
Evidence of surcharge
Atmospheric hazard measurements (especially hydrogen sulfide)
If repair is necessary, a notation as to whether a work order has been issued
Damage to the sewer system infrastructure, such as
this broken manhole cover allows stormwater into the
sewer system (photo: Limno-Tech, Inc.)
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Manholes should undergo routine inspection typically every one to five years. There should be a
baseline for manhole inspections (e.g., once every two years) with problematic manholes being
inspected more frequently. The reviewer should conduct visual observation at a small but
representative number of manholes for the items listed above.
There are various pipeline inspection techniques, the most common include: lamping, camera
inspection, sonar, and CCTV. These will be explained further in the following sections.
2.4.3.1 Sewer System Inspection Techniques
Sewer inspection is an important component of any maintenance program. There are a number of
inspection techniques that may be employed to inspect a sewer system. The reviewer should
determine if a inspection program includes frequency and schedule of inspections and
procedures to record the results. Sewer system cleaning should always be considered before
inspection is performed in order to provide adequate clearance and inspection results.
Additionally, a reviewer should evaluate records maintained for inspection activities including if
information is maintained on standardized logs and should include:
Location and identification of line being inspected
Pipe size and type
• Name of personnel performing inspection
• Distance inspected
• Cleanliness of the line
• Condition of the manhole with pipe defects identified by footage from the starting
manhole
Results of inspection, including estimates of I/I
Lamping involves lowering a still camera into a manhole. The camera is lined up with the
centerline of the junction of the manhole frame and sewer. A picture is the taken down the pipe
with a strobe-like flash. A disadvantage of this technique is that only the first 10-12 feet of the
pipe can be inspected upstream and downstream of the access point. Additionally, it has limited
use in small diameter sewers. The benefits of this technique include not requiring confined space
entry and little equipment and set-up time is required.
Camera inspection is more comprehensive then lamping in that more of the sewer can be
viewed. A still camera is mounted on a floatable raft and released into a pipe. The camera takes
pictures with a strobe-like flash as it floats through the sewer pipe. This technique is often
employed in larger lines where access points are far apart. Similarly to lamping, portions of the
pipe may still be missed using this technique. Obviously, there also must be flow in the pipe for
the raft to float. This technique also does not fully capture the invert of the pipe and its condition.
Sonar is a newer technology deployed similarly to CCTV cameras, described in more detail
below. The sonar emits a pulse which bounces off the walls of the sewer. The time it takes for
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Guide for Evaluating CMOM Programs at Sanitary Sewer Collection Systems
this pulse to bounce back provides data providing an image of the interior of the pipe including
its structural condition. A benefit of this technique is that it can be used in flooded or
inaccessible sections of the sewer. The drawback is that the technique requires heavy and
expensive equipment.
Sewer scanner and evaluation is an experimental technology where a 360 degree scanner
produces a full digital picture of the interior of the pipe. This technique is similar to sonar in that
a more complete image of a pipe can be made than with CCTV, but not all types of sewer defects
may be identified as readily (i.e., infiltration, corrosion).
Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) inspections are a helpful tool for early detection of potential
problems. This technique involves a closed-circuit camera with a light which is self-propelled or
pulled down the pipe. As it moves it records the interior of the pipe. CCTV inspections may be
done on a routine basis as part of the preventive maintenance program as well as part of an
investigation into the cause of I/I. CCTV, however, eliminates the hazards associated with
confined space entry. The output is displayed on a monitor and videotaped. A benefit of CCTV
inspection is that a permanent visual record is captured for subsequent reviews.
2.5 Sewer System Rehabilitation
The collection system owner or operator should have a sewer rehabilitation program. The
objective of sewer rehabilitation is to maintain the overall viability of a collection system. This is
done in three ways: (1) ensuring its structural integrity; (2) limiting the loss of conveyance and
wastewater treatment capacity due to excessive I/I; and (3) limiting the potential for groundwater
contamination by controlling exfiltration from the pipe network. The rehabilitation program
should build on information obtained as a result of all forms of maintenance and observations
made as part of the capacity evaluation and asset inventory to assure the continued ability of the
system to provide sales and service at the least cost. The reviewer should try to gain a sense of
how rehabilitation is prioritorized. Priorities may be stated in the written program or may be
determined through interviews with system personnel.
There are many rehabilitation methods. The choice of methods depends on pipe size, type,
location, dimensional changes, sewer flow, material deposition, surface conditions, severity of
I/I, and other physical factors. Non-structural repairs typically involve the sealing of leaking
joints in otherwise sound pipe.
Structural repairs involve either the replacement of all or a portion of a sewer line, or the lining
of the sewer. These repairs can be carried out by excavating usually for repairs limited to one or
two pipe segments (these are known as point repairs) or by trenchless technologies (in which
repair is carried out via existing manholes or a limited number of access excavations).
The rehabilitation program should identify the methods that have been used in the past, their
success rating and methods to be used in the future. An reviewer who wants further guidance on
methods of rehabilitation may consult:
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Technology Description from 2004
Report to Congress (EPA 2004)
Operation and Maintenance of
Wastewater Collection Systems,
Volumes I and II (CSU Sacramento
1996 and 1998)
Existing Sewer Evaluation and
Rehabilitation (WEF 1994)
The reviewer should determine the owner's or
operator's policies regarding service lateral
rehabilitation since service laterals can
constitute a serious source of I/I. Manholes
should not be neglected in the rehabilitation
program. Manhole covers can allow significant
inflow to enter the system because they are
often located in the path of surface runoff.
Manholes themselves can also be a significant
source of infiltration from cracks in the barrel
of the manhole.
The owner or operator should be able to produce documentation on the location and methods used
for sewer rehabilitation. The reviewer should compare the rehabilitation accomplished with that
recommended by the capacity evaluation program. When examining the collection system
rehabilitation program, the reviewer should be able to answer the following questions:
• Is rehabilitation taking place before it becomes emergency maintenance?
Are recommendations made as a result of the previously described inspections?
Does the rehabilitation program take into account the age and condition of the sewers?
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CHAPTER 3. CHECKLIST FOR CONDUCTING
EVALUATIONS OF WASTEWATER COLLECTION SYSTEM
CAPACITY, MANAGEMENT, OPERATION, AND
MAINTENANCE (CMOM) PROGRAMS
The following is a comprehensive checklist available for use in the review process. The checklist
consists of a series of questions organized by major categories and sub-categories. The major
category is followed by a brief statement describing the category. Following the sub-category is
a brief clarifying statement. References are then given.
Questions are provided in a table format that includes the question, response, and documentation
available.
Response is completed by using information and data acquired from the data and information
request, onsite interviews, and site reviews. An alternative to this process is to transmit the entire
checklist to the collection system owner or operator to complete and return electronically.
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Table of Contents
I. General Information - Collection System Description 3-4
II. Continuing Sewer Assessment Plan 3-5
III. Collection System Management 3-6
A. Organizational Structure 3-6
B. Training 3-7
C. Communication and Customer Service 3-8
D. Management Information Systems 3-10
E. SSO Notification Program 3-11
F. Legal Authority 3-12
IV. Collection System Operation 3-14
A. Budgeting 3-14
B. Compliance 3-16
C. Water Quality Monitoring 3-17
D. Hydrogen Sulfide Monitoring and Control 3-18
E. Safety 3-19
F. Emergency Preparedness and Response 3-21
G. Modeling 3-23
H. Engineering - System Mapping and As-built Plans (Record Drawings) 3-24
I. Engineering - Design 3-25
J. Engineering - Capacity 3-26
K. Engineering - Construction 3-27
L. Pump Station Operation 3-28
1. Pump Stations - Inspection 3-29
2. Pump Stations - Emergencies 3-30
3. Pump Stations - Emergency Response and Monitoring 3-31
4. Pump Stations - Recordkeeping 3-32
5. Pump Stations - Force Mains and Air/Vacuum Valves 3-33
V. Collection System Maintenance 3-34
A. Maintenance Budgeting 3-34
B. Planned Maintenance 3-35
C. Maintenance Scheduling 3-36
D. Maintenance Right-of-Way 3-37
E. Sewer Cleaning 3-38
1. Sewer Cleaning - Cleaning Equipment 3-39
2. Sewer Cleaning - Chemical Cleaning and Root Removal 3-40
F. Parts Inventory 3-41
G. Equipment and Tools Management 3-42
VI. Management Information Systems: Performance Indicators 3-43
VII. Sewer System Capacity Evaluation (SSES) 3-45
A. Internal TV Inspection 3-45
B. Survey and Rehabilitation (general) 3-46
C. Sewer Cleaning Related to I/I Reduction 3-47
D. Flow Monitoring 3-48
E. Smoke Testing and Dyed Water Flooding 3-49
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F. Manhole Inspection 3-50
VIII. Rehabilitation 3-52
A. Manhole Repairs 3-52
B. Mainline Sewers 3-53
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Guide for Evaluating CMOM Programs at Sanitary Sewer Collection Systems
I. General Information - Collection System Description
Question
Response
Size of service area (acres).
Population of service area.
Number of pump stations.
Feet (or miles) of sewer.
Age of system (e.g., 30% over 30 years, 20% over 50 years, etc.).
Documentation
Available
Yes
No
Comments:
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II. Continuing Sewer Assessment Plan
Question
Response
Does the collection system experience problems related to I/I? How
do these problems manifest themselves? (Manhole overflows,
basement flooding, structure, SSOs)
How does the owner or operator prioritize investigation, repairs and
rehabilitation related to I/I?
What methods are considered to remedy hydraulic deficiencies?
Does the plan include a schedule for investigative activities?
Is the plan regularly updated?
Documentation
Available
Yes
No
Comments:
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III. A. Collection System Management: Organizational Structure
Question
Response
Is an organizational chart available that shows the overall personnel
structure for the collection system, including operation and
maintenance staff?
Are there organizational charts that show functional groups and
classifications?
Are up to date job descriptions available that delineate
responsibilities and authority for each position?
Are the following items discussed in the job descriptions: D nature
of work to be performed, D minimum requirements for the position,
D necessary special qualifications or certifications, D examples of
the types of work, D list of licences required for the position,
D performance measures or promotional potential?
Does the organizational chart indicate how many positions are
budgeted as opposed to actually filled?
On average, how long do positions remain vacant?
Are collection system staff responsible for any other duties, (e.g.,
road repair or maintenance, O&M of the storm water collection
system)?
Documentation
Available
Yes
No
Comments:
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III. B. Collection System Management: Training
Question
Response
Is there a documented formal training program?
Does the training program address the fundamental mission, goals,
and policies of the collection system owner or operator?
Does the owner or operator provide training in the following areas:
D safety, D routine line maintenance, D confined space entry,
D traffic control, D record keeping, D electrical and instrumentation,
D pipe repair, D bursting CIPP, D public relations,
D S SO/emergency response, D pump station operations and
maintenance, D CCTV and trench/shoring, D other?
Which of these programs have formal curriculums?
Does On-the-Job (OJT) training use Standard Operating and
Standard Maintenance Procedures (SOPs & SMPs)?
Is OJT progress and performance measured?
Does the owner or operator have mandatory training requirements
identified for key employees?
What percentage of employees met or exceeded their annual training
goals during the past year?
Which of the following methods are used to assess the effectiveness
of the training: D periodic testing, D drills, D demonstration,
D none?
What percentage of the training offered by the owner or operator is
in the form of the following: manufacturer training, on-the-job
training, in-house classroom training, industry-wide training?
Documentation
Available
Yes
No
Comments:
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III. C. Collection System Management: Communication and Customer Service
Question
Response
What type of public education/outreach programs does the owner or
operator have about user rates?
Do these programs include communication with groups such as local
governments, community groups, the media, schools, youth
organizations, senior citizens? List applicable groups.
Is there a public relations program in place?
Are the employees of the collection system trained in public
relations?
Are there sample correspondence or "scripts" to help guide staff
through written or oral responses to customers?
What methods are used to notify the public of major construction or
maintenance work: D door hangers, D newspaper, D fliers, D
signs, D other, D none?
Is the homeowner notified prior to construction that his/her property
may be affected?
Is information provided to residents on cleanup procedures
following basement backups and overflows from manholes when
they occur?
Which of the following methods are used to communicate with
system staff: D regular meetings, D bulletin boards, D e-mail, D
other?
How often are staff meetings held (e.g., daily, weekly, monthly)?
Are incentives offered to employees for performance improvements?
Does the owner or operator have an "Employee of the
Month/Quarter/Year" program?
Documentation
Available
Yes
No
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Question
Response
How often are performance reviews conducted (e.g., semi-annually,
annually, etc.)?
Does the owner or operator regularly communicate with other
municipal departments?
Does the owner or operator have a formal procedure in place to
evaluate and respond to complaints?
What are the common complaints received?
Does the owner or operator have a process for customer evaluation
of the services provided?
Do customer service records include the following information: D
personnel who received the complaint or request, D nature of
complaint or request, D to whom the follow-up action was assigned,
D date of the complaint or request, D date the complaint or request
was resolved, D customer contact information, D location of the
problem, D date the follow-up action was assigned, D cause of the
problem, D feedback to customer?
Does the owner or operator have a goal for how quickly customer
complaints (or emergency calls) are resolved?
What percentage of customer complaints (or emergency calls) are
resolved within the timeline goals?
How are complaint records maintained? (i.e., computerized) Is this
information used as the basis for other activities such as routine
preventative maintenance?
Documentation
Available
Yes
No
Comments:
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III. D. Collection System Management: Management Information Systems
Question
Response
What types of work reports are prepared by the O&M Staff?
Do the work reports include enough information? (See example
report forms)
How are records kept?
Are records maintained for a period of at least three years?
Are the records able to distinguish activities taken in response to an
overflow event?
Does the owner or operator use computer technology for its
management information system? (Computer Based Maintenance
Management Systems, spreadsheets, databases, SCAD A, etc). If so,
what type of system(s) is used?
Are there written instructions for managing and tracking the
following information: D complaint work orders, D scheduled work
orders, D customer service, D scheduled preventative maintenance,
D scheduled inspections, D sewer system inventory, D safety
incidents, D scheduled monitoring/sampling,
D compliance/overflow tracking, D equipment/tools tracking,
D parts inventory?
Do the written instructions for tracking procedures include the
following information: D accessing data and information, D
instructions for using the tracking system, D updating the MIS,
D developing and printing reports?
How often is the management information system updated
(immediately, within one week of the incident, monthly as time
permits)?
Documentation
Available
Yes
No
Comments:
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III. E. Collection System Management: SSO Notification Program
Question
Response
Does the owner or operator have standard procedures for notifying
state agencies, health agencies, the regulatory authority, and the
drinking water purveyor of overflow events?
Are above notification procedures dependent on the size or location
of the overflow? If so, describe this procedure.
Is there a Standard form for recording overflow events? Does it
include location, type, receiving water, estimated volume, cause?
Are chronic SSO locations posted?
Documentation
Available
Yes
No
Comments:
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III. F. Collection System Management: Legal Authority
Question
Response
Does the collection system receive flow from satellite communities?
What is the total area from satellite communities that contribute flow
to the collection system (acres or square miles)?
Does the owner or operator require satellite communities to enter
into an agreement?
Does the agreement include the requirements listed in the sewer use
ordinance (SUO)?
Do the agreements have a date of termination and allow for renewal
under different terms?
Does the owner or operator maintain the legal authority to control
the maximum flow introduced into the collection system from
satellite communities?
Are standards, inspections, and approval for new connections clearly
documented in a SUO?
Does the SUO require satellite communities to adopt the same
industrial and commercial regulator discharge limits as the owner or
operator?
Does the SUO require satellite communities to adopt the same
inspection and sampling schedules as required by the pretreatment
ordinance?
Does the SUO require the satellite communities or the owner or
operator to issue control permits for significant industrial users?
Does the SUO contain provisions for addressing overstrength
wastewater from satellite communities?
Does the SUO contain procedures for the following: inspection
standards, pretreatment requirements, building/sewer permit issues?
Documentation
Available
Yes
No
3-12
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Does the SUO contain general prohibitions of the following
materials: D fire and explosion hazards, D oils or petroleum, D
corrosive materials, D materials which may cause interference at the
wastewater treatment plant, D obstructive materials?
Does the SUO contain procedures and enforcement actions for the
following: D fats, oils, and grease (FOG); D I/I; building structures
over the sewer lines; D storm water connections to sanitary lines; D
defects in service laterals located on private property; D sump
pumps, air conditioner?
Comments:
3-13
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IV. A. Collection System Operation: Budgeting
Question
Response
What are the owner or operator's current rates?
What is the average annual fee for residential users?
How are user rates calculated?
How often are user charges evaluated and adjusted based on that
evaluation?
How many rate changes have there been in the last 10 years and what
were they?
Does the owner or operator receive sufficient funding from its
revenues?
Are collection system enterprise funds used for non-enterprise fund
activities?
Is there a budget for annual operating costs?
Does the budget provide sufficient line item detail for labor, materials
and equipment?
Are costs for collection system O&M separated from other utility
services, i.e., water, storm water and treatment plants?
Do O&M managers have current O&M budget data?
What is the collection system's average annual O&M budget?
What percentage of the collection system's overall budget is allocated
to maintenance of the collection system?
Does the owner or operator have a Capital Improvement Plan (CIP)
that provides for system repair/replacement on a prioritized basis?
What is the collection system's average annual CIP budget?
Documentation
Available
Yes
No
3-14
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Question
Response
What percentage of the maintenance budget is allotted to the
following maintenance: Predictive maintenance (tracking design, life
span, and scheduled parts replacement), preventative maintenance
(identifying and fixing system weakness which, if left unaddressed,
could lead to overflows), corrective maintenance (fixing system
components that are functioning but not at 100% capacity /efficiency),
emergency maintenance (reactive maintenance, overflows, equipment
breakdowns).
Does the owner or operator have a budgeted program for the
replacement of under-capacity pipes?
Does the owner or operator have a budgeted program for the
replacement of over-capacity pipes?
Are O&M staff involved in O&M budget preparation?
How are priorities determined for budgeting for O&M during the
budget process?
Does the owner or operator maintain a fund for future equipment and
infrastructure replacement?
How is new work typically financed?
Documentation
Available
Yes
No
Comments:
3-15
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IV. B. Collection System Operation: Compliance
Question
Response
Does the owner or operator have inter-jurisdictional or inter-
municipal agreements?
Is there a sewer-use and a grease ordinance?
Is there a process in place for enforcing sewer and grease
ordinances?
Are all grease traps inspected regularly?
How does the owner or operator learn of new or existing unknown
grease traps?
Who is responsible for enforcing the sewer ordinance and grease
ordinance? Does this party communicate with the utility department
on a regular basis?
Are there any significant industrial dischargers to the system?
Is there a pretreatment program in place? If so, please describe.
Is there an ordinance dealing with private service laterals?
Is there an ordinance dealing with storm water connections or
requirements to remove storm water connections?
Already asked
Documentation
Available
Yes
No
Comments:
3-16
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IV. C. Collection System Operation: Water Quality Monitoring
Question
Response
Is there a water quality monitoring program in the service areas?
If so, who performs the monitoring?
How many locations are monitored?
What parameters are monitored and how often?
Is water quality monitored after an SSO event?
Are there written standard sampling procedures available?
Is analysis performed in-house or by a contract laboratory?
Are chain-of-custody forms used?
Documentation
Available
Yes
No
Comments:
3-17
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IV. D. Collection System Operation: Hydrogen Sulfide Monitoring and Control
Question
Response
Are odors a frequent source of complaints? How many?
Are the locations of the frequent odor complaints documented?
What is the typical sewer slope? Does the owner or operator take
hydrogen sulfide corrosion into consideration when designing
sewers?
Does the collection system owner or operator have a hydrogen
sulfide problem, and if so, does it have in place corrosion control
programs? What are the major elements of the program?
Does the owner or operator have written procedures for the
application of chemical dosages?
Are chemical dosages, dates, and locations documented?
Does the owner or operator have a program in place for renewing or
replacing severely corroded sewer lines to prevent collapse?
Are the following methods used for hydrogen sulfide control: D
aeration, D iron salts, D enzymes, D activated charcoal canisters, D
chlorine, D sodium hydroxide, D hydrogen peroxide, D potassium
permanganate, D biofiltration, D others?
Does the system contain air relief valves at the high points of the
force main system?
How often are th valves maintained and inspected (weekly, monthly,
etc.)?
Does the owner or operator enforce pretreatment requirements?
Documentation
Available
Yes
No
Comments:
3-18
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IV. E. Collection System Operation: Safety
Question
Response
Is there a documented safety program supported by the top
administration official?
Is there a Safety Department that provides training, equipment, and
an evaluation of procedures?
If not, who provides safety training?
Does the owner or operator have written procedures for the
following: D lockout/tagout, D MSDS, D chemical handling, D
confined spaces permit program, D trenching and excavations, D
biological hazards in wastewater, D traffic control and work site
safety, D electrical and mechanical systems, D pneumatic and
hydraulic systems safety?
What is the agency's lost-time injury rate(percent or in hours)?
Is there a permit required confined space entry procedure for
manholes, wetwells, etc.? Are confined spaces clearly marked?
Are the following equipment items available and in adequate supply:
D rubber/disposable gloves; D confined space ventilation
equipment; D hard hats, D safety glasses, D rubber boots; D
antibacterial soap and first aid kit; D tripods or non-entry rescue
equipment; D fire extinguishers; D equipment to enter manholes; D
portable crane/hoist; D atmospheric testing equipment and gas
detectors; D oxygen sensors; D H2S monitors; D full body harness;
D protective clothing; D traffic/public access control equipment;
D 5-minute escape breathing devices; D life preservers for lagoons;
D safety buoy at activated sludge plants; D fiberglass or wooden
ladders for electrical work; D respirators and/or self-contained
breathing apparatus; D methane gas or OVA analyzer; D LEL
metering?
Are safety monitors clearly identified?
How often are safety procedures reviewed and revised?
Documentation
Available
Yes
No
3-19
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Question
Response
Are workplace accidents investigated?
How does the Administration communicate with field personnel on
safety procedures; memo, direct communication, video, etc.?
Is there a Safety Committee with participation by O&M staff? How
often does it meet?
Is there a formal Safety Training Program? Are records of training
maintained?
Documentation
Available
Yes
No
Comments:
3-20
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IV. F. Collection System Operation: Emergency Preparedness and Response
Question
Response
Does the owner or operator have an emergency response plan? A
contingency plan?
How often is the plan reviewed and updated? What was the date it
was last updated?
Does the plan take into consideration vulnerable points in the
system, severe natural events, failure of critical system components,
vandalism or other third party events, and a root cause analysis
protocol?
Are staff trained and drilled to respond to emergency situations? Are
responsibilities detailed for all personnel who respond to
emergencies?
Are there emergency operation procedures for equipment and
processes?
Does the owner or operator have standard procedures for notifying
state agencies, local health departments, the regulatory authority,
and drinking water authorities of significant overflow events?
Does the procedure include an up-to-date list of the names, titles,
phone numbers, and responsibilities of all personnel involved?
Do work crews have immediate access to tools and equipment
during emergencies?
Is there a public notification plan? If so, does it cover both regular
business hours and off-hours?
Does the owner or operator have procedures to limit public access to
and contact with areas affected with SSOs?
Does the owner or operator use containment techniques to protect
the storm drainage systems?
Documentation
Available
Yes
No
3-21
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Do the overflow records include the following information: D date
and time, D cause(s), D names of affected receiving water(s),
D location, D how it was stopped, D any remediation efforts,
D estimated flow/volume discharged, D duration of overflow?
Does the owner or operator have signage to keep public from
affected area?
Is there a hazard classification system? Where is it located?
Does the owner or operator conduct vulnerability analyses?
Are risk assessments performed? How often?
Comments:
3-22
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IV. G. Collection System Operation: Modeling
Question
Response
Does the owner or operator have a hydraulic model of the collection
system including pump stations? What model is used?
What uses does the model serve (predicting flow capacity, peak
flows, force main pressures, etc.)?
Does the model produce results consistent with observed conditions?
Is the model kept up to date with respect to new construction and
repairs that may affect hydraulic capacity?
Documentation
Available
Yes
No
Comments:
3-23
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IV. H. Collection System Operation: Engineering - System Mapping and As-built Plans
(Record Drawings)
Question
Response
What type of mapping/inventory system is used?
Is the mapping tied to a GPS system?
Are "as-built" plans (record drawings) or maps available for use by
field crews in the office and in the field?
Do field crews record changes or inaccuracies and is there a process
in place to update "as built" plans (record drawings)?
Do the maps show the date the map was drafted and the date of the
last revision?
Do the sewer line maps include the following: D scale; D north
arrow; D date the map was drafted; D date of the last revision; D
service area boundaries; D property lines; D other landmarks; D
manhole and other access points; D location of building laterals; D
street names; D SSOs/CSOs; D flow monitors; D force mains; D
pump stations; D lined sewers; D main, trunk, and interceptor
sewers; D easement lines and dimensions; D pipe material; D pipe
diameter; D pipe diameter; D installation date; D slope; D manhole
rim elevation; D manhole coordinates; D manhole invert elevation;
D distance between manholes?
Are the following sewer attributes recorded: D size, D shape,
D invert elevation, D material, D separate/combined sewer, D
installation date?
Are the following manhole attributes recorded: D shape, D type,
D depth, D age, D material?
Is there a systematic numbering and identification method/system
established to identify sewer system manhole, sewer lines, and other
items (pump stations, etc.)?
Documentation
Available
Yes
No
Comments:
3-24
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IV. I. Collection System Operation: Engineering - Design
Question
Response
Is there a document which details design criteria and standard
construction details?
Is life cycle cost analysis performed as part of the design process?
Is there a document that describes the procedures that the owner or
operator follows in conducting design review? Are there any
standard forms that are used as a guide?
Are O&M staff involved in the design review process?
Does the owner or operator have documentation on private service
lateral design and inspection standards?
Does the owner or operator attempt to standardize equipment and
sewer system components?
Documentation
Available
Yes
No
Comments:
3-25
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IV. J. Collection System Operation: Engineering - Capacity
Question
Response
What procedures are used in determining whether the capacity of
existing gravity sewer system, pump stations and force mains are
adequate for new connections?
Is any metering of flow performed prior to allowing new
connections?
Is there a hydraulic model of the system used to predict the effects of
new connections?
Is there any certification as to the adequacy of the sewer system to
carry additional flow from new connections required?
Documentation
Available
Yes
No
Comments:
3-26
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IV. K. Collection System Operation: Engineering - Construction
Question
Response
Who constructs new sewers? If other than the owner or operator,
does the owner or operator review and approve the design?
Is there a document that describes the procedures that the owner or
operator follows in conducting their construction inspection and
testing program?
Are there any standard forms that guide the owner or operator in
conducting their construction inspection and testing program?
Is new construction inspected by the owner or operator or others?
What are the qualifications of the inspector(s)?
What percentage of time is a construction inspector on site?
Is inspection supervision provided by a registered professional
engineer?
How is the new gravity sewer construction tested? (Air, water, weirs,
etc.)
Are new manholes tested for inflow and infiltration?
Are new gravity sewers televised?
What tests are performed on pump stations?
What tests are performed on force mains?
Is new construction built to standard specifications established by the
owner or operator and/or the State?
Is there a warranty for new construction? If so, is there a warranty
inspection done at the end of this period?
Documentation
Available
Yes
No
Comments:
3-27
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IV. L. Collection System Operation: Pump Station Operation
Question
Response
How many pump stations are in the system? How many have backup
power sources?
Are enough trained personnel assigned to properly maintain pump
stations?
Are these personnel assigned full-time or part-time to pump station
duties?
Are there manned and un-manned pump stations in the system?
How many of each?
Is there a procedure for manipulating pump operations (manually or
automatically during wet weather to increase in-line storage of wet
weather flows?
Are well-operating levels set to limit pump start/stops?
Are the lead, lag, and backup pumps rotated regularly?
Documentation
Available
Yes
No
Comments:
3-28
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IV. L. 1. Collection System Operation: Pump Stations - Inspection
Question
Response
How often are pump stations inspected?
What work is accomplished during inspections?
Is there a checklist?
Are records maintained for each inspection?
What are the average annual labor hours spent on pump station
inspections?
Are there Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and Standard
Maintenance Procedures (SMPs) for each station?
What are the critical operating characteristics maintained for each
station? Are the stations maintained within these criteria?
Documentation
Available
Yes
No
Comments:
3-29
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IV. L. 2. Collection System Operation: Pump Stations - Emergencies
Question
Response
Is there an Emergency Operating Procedure for each pump station?
Is there sufficient redundancy of equipment in all pump stations?
Who responds to lift station failures and overflows? How are they
notified?
How is loss of power at a station dealt with? (i.e. on-site electrical
generators, alternate power source, portable electric generator(s))
What equipment is available for pump station bypass?
What process is used to investigate the cause of pump station failure
and take necessary action to prevent future failures?
Documentation
Available
Yes
No
Comments:
3-30
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IV. L. 3. Collection System Operation: Pump Stations - Emergency Response and Monitoring
Question
Response
How are lift stations monitored?
If a SCADA system is used, what parameters are monitored?
Documentation
Available
Yes
No
Comments:
3-31
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IV. L. 4. Collection System Operation: Pump Stations - Recordkeeping
Question
Response
Are operations logs maintained for all pump stations?
Are manufacturer's specifications and equipment manuals available
for all equipment?
Are pump run times maintained for all pumps?
Are elapsed time meters used to assess performance?
Documentation
Available
Yes
No
Comments:
3-32
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IV. L. 5. Collection System Operation: Pump Stations - Force Mains and Air/Vacuum Valves
Question
Response
Does the owner or operator regularly inspect the route offeree
mains?
Does the owner or operator have a program to regularly assess force
main condition?
Is there a process in place to investigate the cause offeree main
failures?
Does the owner or operator have a regular maintenance/inspection
program for air/vacuum valves?
Have force main failures been caused by water hammer?
Documentation
Available
Yes
No
Comments:
3-33
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V. A. Equipment and Collection System Maintenance: Maintenance Budgeting
Question
Response
How does the collection system owner or operator track yearly
maintenance costs?
Is there a maintenance cost control system?
Are maintenance costs developed from past cost records?
How does the owner or operator categorize costs?
Preventive? Corrective? Projected Costs? Projected Repair?
How does the owner or operator control expenditures?
Documentation
Available
Yes
No
Comments:
3-34
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V. B. Equipment and Collection System Maintenance: Planned Maintenance
Question
Response
Are preventive maintenance tasks and frequencies established for all
pump stations and equipment?
How were preventive maintenance frequencies established?
What percentage of the operator's time is devoted to planned as
opposed to unplanned maintenance?
What predictive maintenance techniques are used as part of PM
program?
Is there a formal procedure to repair or replace pump stations and
equipment when useful life is reached?
Has an energy audit been performed on pump station electrical
usage?
Is an adequate parts inventory maintained for all equipment?
Is there a sufficient number of trained personnel to properly maintain
all stations?
Who performs mechanical and electrical maintenance?
Are there Standard Maintenance Procedures (SMPs) for each
station?
Documentation
Available
Yes
No
Comments:
3-35
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V. C. Equipment and Collection System Maintenance: Maintenance Scheduling
Question
Response
Does the owner or operator plan and schedule preventive and
corrective maintenance activities?
Is there an established priority system? Who sets priorities for
maintenance?
Is a maintenance card or record kept for each piece of mechanical
equipment within the collection system?
Do equipment maintenance records include the following
information: D maintenance recommendations, D instructions on
conducting the specific maintenance activity, D other observations
on the equipment, D maintenance schedule, D a record of
maintenance on the equipment to date.
Are dated tags used to show out-of-service equipment?
Is maintenance backlog tracked?
How is O&M performance tracked and measured?
What percent of repair finds are spent on emergency repairs?
Are corrective repair work orders backlogged more than six months?
Is maintenance performed for other public works divisions?
How are priorities determined for this work?
How is this work funded?
Are maintenance logs maintained for all pump stations?
Documentation
Available
Yes
No
Comments:
3-36
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V. D. Equipment and Collection System Maintenance: Maintenance Right-of-Way
Question
Response
Does the owner or operator perform scheduled maintenance on
Rights-of-Way and Easements?
Does the owner or operator monitor street paving projects?
Does the owner or operator have a program to locate and raise
manholes (air valves, etc) as needed?
How are priorities determined?
How is the effectiveness of the maintenance schedule measured?
Documentation
Available
Yes
No
Comments:
3-37
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V. E. Equipment and Collection System Maintenance: Sewer Cleaning
Question
Response
Is there a routine schedule for cleaning sewer lines on a system wide
basis, e.g., at the rate of once every seven to twelve years or a rate of
between 8% and 14% per year?
What is the owner or operator's goals for annual system cleaning?
What percent of the sewer lines are cleaned, even high/repeat
cleaning trouble spots, during the past year?
Is there a program to identify sewer line segments that have chronic
problems and should be cleaned on a more frequent schedule?
What is the average number of stoppages experienced per mile of
sewer pipe per year?
Has the number of stoppages increased, decreased, or stayed the
same over the past five years?
Are stoppages diagnosed to determine the cause?
Are stoppages plotted on maps and correlated with other data such
as pipe size and material, or location?
Do the sewer cleaning records include the following information: D
date and time, D cause of stoppage, D method of cleaning, location
of stoppage or routine cleaning activity, D identity of cleaning crew,
D further actions necessary /initiated?
If sewer cleaning is done by a contractor are videos taken of before
and after cleaning?
Documentation
Available
Yes
No
Comments:
3-38
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V. E. 1. Equipment and Collection System Maintenance: Sewer Cleaning - Cleaning
Equipment
Question
Response
What type of cleaning equipment does the owner or operator use?
How many cleaning units of each type does the owner or operator
have? What is the age of each?
How many cleaning crews and shifts does the owner or operator
employ?
How many cleaning crews are dedicated to preventive maintenance
cleaning?
How many cleaning crews are dedicated to corrective maintenance
cleaning?
What has the owner or operator's experience been regarding pipe
damage caused by mechanical equipment?
Where is the equipment stationed?
Documentation
Available
Yes
No
Comments:
3-39
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V. E. 2. Equipment and Collection System Maintenance: Sewer Cleaning - Chemical Cleaning
and Root Removal
Question
Response
Does the owner or operator have a root control program?
Does the owner or operator have a FOG program?
Are chemical cleaners used?
What types of chemical cleaners are used?
How often are they applied?
How are the chemical cleaners applied?
What results are achieved through the use of chemical cleaners?
Documentation
Available
Yes
No
Comments:
3-40
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V. F. Equipment and Collection System Maintenance: Parts Inventory
Question
Response
Does the owner or operator have a central location for the storage of
spare parts?
Have critical spare parts been identified?
Are adequate supplies on hand to allow for two point repairs in any
part if the system?
Is there a parts standardization policy in place?
Does the owner or operator maintain a stock of spare parts on its
maintenance vehicles?
What method(s) does the owner or operator employ to keep track of
the location, usage, and ordering of spare parts? Are parts logged out
when taken by maintenance personnel for use?
Does the owner or operator salvage specific equipment parts when
equipment is placed out-of-service and not replaced?
How often does the owner or operator conduct a check of the
inventory of parts to ensure that their tracking system is working?
Who has the responsibility of tracking the inventory?
For those parts which are not kept in inventory, does the owner or
operator have a readily available source or supplier?
Documentation
Available
Yes
No
Comments:
3-41
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V. G. Equipment and Collection System Maintenance: Equipment and Tools Management
Question
Response
Is there a list of equipment and tools used for operation and
maintenance?
Do personnel feel they have access to the necessary equipment and
tools to do all aspects of operation and maintenance of the collection
system?
Is there access to suitable equipment if the owner or operator's
equipment is down for repair?
Does the owner or operator own or have access to portable
generators?
Where does the owner or operator store its equipment?
Is a detailed equipment maintenance log kept?
Are written equipment maintenance procedures available?
What is the procedure for equipment replacement?
Are the services of an in-house vehicle and equipment maintenance
services used?
What is the typical turnaround time for equipment and vehicle
maintenance?
Documentation
Available
Yes
No
Comments:
3-42
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VI. Management Information Systems: Performance Indicators
Question
Response
How many sanitary sewer overflows (SSOs) have occurred in the
last 5 years? How many less than 1,000 gallons?
Does the owner or operator document and report all SSOs regardless
of size?
Does the owner or operator document basement backups?
Are there areas that experience basement or street flooding?
How many SSOs have reached "Waters of the US"? Is there a
record?
Approximately, what percent of SSOs discharge were from each of
the following in the last 5 years: manholes, pump stations, main and
trunk sewers, lateral and branch sewers, structural bypasses?
What is the per capita wastewater flow for the maximum month and
maximum week or day?
What is average annual influent BOD?
What is the ratio of maximum wet weather flow to average dry
weather flow?
Approximately, what percent of SSO discharge were caused by the
following in the last 5 years: debris buildup, collapsed pipe, root
intrusion, capacity limitations, excessive infiltration and inflow,
FOG, vandalism?
What percent of SSOs were released to: soil; surface water;
basements; paved areas; coastal, ocean, or beach areas; rivers, lakes
or streams?
For surface water releases, what percent are to surface waters that
could affect: contact recreation, shellfish growing areas, drinking
water sources?
How many chronic SSO locations are in the collection system?
Documentation
Available
Yes
No
3-43
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Are pipes with chronic SSOs being monitored for sufficient capacity
and/or structural condition?
Prior to collapse, are structurally deteriorating pipelines being
monitored for renewal or replacement?
What is the annual number of mainline sewer cave-ins? What was
the cause (i.e. pipe corrosion, leaks, etc.)
What other types of performance indicators does the owner or
operator use?
Comments:
3-44
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VII. A. Sewer System Capacity Evaluation (SSES): Internal TV Inspection
Question
Response
Does the owner or operator use internal T. V. inspection? If so please
describe the program.
Do the internal TV record logs include the following: D pipe size,
type, length, and joint spacing; D distance recorded by internal TV;
D results of the internal TV inspection; D internal TV operator
name; D cleanliness of the line; D location and identification of line
being televised by manholes?
Is a rating system used to determine the severity of the defects found
during the inspection process?
Is there documentation explaining the codes used for internal TV
results reporting?
Approximately what percent of the total defects determined by TV
inspection during the past 5 years were the following:
Are main line and lateral repairs checked by internal TV inspection
after the repair(s) have been made?
Documentation
Available
Yes
No
Comments:
3-45
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VII. B. SSES: Survey and Rehabilitation (general)
Question
Response
Have SSES's been performed in the past? If so, is documentation
available?
Has any sewer rehabilitation work been done in the past 15 years? If
so, please describe?
Does the owner or operator have standard procedures for performing
SSES work?
Do the SSES reports include recommendations for rehabilitation,
replacement, and repair?
Were defects identified in the SSES repaired?
Does the owner or operator have a multi-year Capital Improvements
Program that includes rehabilitation, replacement, and repair?
How are priorities established for rehabilitation, replacement, and
repair?
Has the owner or operator established schedules for performing
recommended rehabilitation, both short term and long term?
Has funding been approved for the recommended rehabilitation?
Is post rehabilitation flow monitoring used to assess the success of
the rehabilitation?
Documentation
Available
Yes
No
Comments:
3-46
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VII. C. SSES: Sewer Cleaning Related to I/I Reduction
Question
Response
Are sewers cleaned prior to flow monitoring?
Are sewers cleaned prior to internal T. V. inspection?
When cleaning, is debris removed from the system?
Documentation
Available
Yes
No
Comments:
3-47
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VII. D. SSES: Flow Monitoring
Question
Response
Does the owner or operator have a flow monitoring program? If so,
please describe.
Does the owner or operator have a comprehensive capacity
assessment and planning program?
Are flows measured prior to allowing new connections?
Number of permanent meters? Number of temporary meters?
What type(s) of meters are used?
Number of rain gauges?
How frequently are flow meters checked?
Do the flow meter checks include: D independent water level, D
checking the desiccant, D velocity reading, D cleaning away debris,
D downloading data, D battery condition?
Are records maintained for each inspection?
Do the flow monitoring records include: D descriptive location of
flow meter, D type of flow meter, D frequency of flow meter
inspection, D frequency of flow meter calibration?
Are flow data used for billing, capacity analysis, and/or I/I
investigations?
What is the ratio of peak wet weather flow to average dry weather
flow at the wastewater treatment plant?
Does the owner or operator have any wet weather capacity
problems?
Are low points or flood-plain areas monitored during rain events?
Does the owner or operator have any dry weather capacity
problems?
Documentation
Available
Yes
No
3-4
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VII. E. SSES: Smoke Testing and Dyed Water Flooding
Question
Response
Does the owner or operator have a smoke testing program to identify
sources of inflow and infiltration into the system including private
service laterals and illegal connections? If so please describe.
Are there written procedures for the frequency and schedule of
smoke testing?
Is there a documented procedure for isolating line segments?
Is there a documented procedure for notifying local residents that
smoke testing will be conducted in the area?
What is the guideline for the maximum amount of line to be tested at
one time?
Are there guidelines for the weather conditions under which smoke
testing should be conducted?
Do the written records contain location, address, and description of
the smoking element that produced a positive result?
What follow-up occurs as a result of positive results for smoke or
dye testing?
Is there a goal for the percent of the system smoke tested each year?
What percent of the system has been smoke tested over the past
year?
Does the owner or operator have a dyed water flooding program If
so please describe.
Is there a goal for the percent of the system dye tested each year?
What percent of the system has been dye tested over the past year?
Does the owner or operator share smoke and dye testing equipment
with another owner or operator?
Documentation
Available
Yes
No
Comments:
3-49
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VII. F. SSES: Manhole Inspection
Question
Response
Does the owner or operator have a routine manhole inspection and
assessment program?
What is the purpose of the inspection program?
Does the owner or operator have a goal for the number of manholes
inspected annually?
How many manholes were inspected during the past year?
Do the records for manhole/pipe inspection include the following: D
conditions of the frame and cover; D evidence of surcharge; offsets
or misalignments; D atmospheric hazards measurements; D
details on the root cause of cracks or breaks in the manhole or pope
including blockages; D recording conditions of corbel, walls, bench,
trough, and pipe seals; D presence of corrosion, if repair is
necessary; D manhole identifying number/location; wastewater flow
characteristics; D accumulations of grease, debris, or grit; D
presence of infiltration, location, and estimated quantity; D
inflow from manhole covers?
Are manholes susceptible to inflow identified and inspected on a
regular frequency?
Is there a data management system for tracking manhole inspection
activities?
What triggers whether a manhole needs rehabilitation?
Does the owner or operator have a multi-year Capital Improvements
Program that includes rehabilitation, replacement, and repair of
manholes?
How are priorities established for rehabilitation, replacement, and
repair of manholes?
Has the owner or operator established schedules for performing
rehabilitation, both short term and long term of manholes?
Documentation
Available
Yes
No
3-50
-------
Question
Response
Has funding been approved for the rehabilitation of manholes?
Does the owner or operator have a grouting program?
Documentation
Available
Yes
No
Comments:
3-51
-------
VIII. A. Rehabilitation: Manhole Repairs
Question
Response
What rehabilitation techniques are used for manhole repairs?
How are priorities determined for manhole repairs?
What type of documentation is kept?
Does the owner or operator use manhole inserts?
Are they used system wide or only on low lying manholes?
Documentation
Available
Yes
No
Comments:
3-52
-------
VIII. B. Rehabilitation: Mainline Sewers
Question
Response
What type of main line repairs has the owner or operator used in the
past?
Does the owner or operator currently use any of above techniques
for main line repairs? What other techniques is the owner or
operator presently using?
How are priorities established for main line repairs?
What type of follow-up is performed after the repair (e.g., CCTV)?
Documentation
Available
Yes
No
Comments:
3-53
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Appendix A
EXAMPLE
COLLECTION SYSTEM PERFORMANCE
INDICATOR DATA
COLLECTION FORM
-------
EXAMPLE
COLLECTION SYSTEM PERFORMANCE INDICATOR DATA
COLLECTION FORM
i.
n.
General Information
A. Agency Name .
B.
C.
D.
E.
Agency Address
Street
City
State
.Zip.
Contact Person
Telephone: Voice
Fax
Email
Data provided for latest fiscal/calendar year, 20_
Collection System Description
A. Service Area
B.
C.
Square miles
Population Served
System Inventory
Miles of gravity
sewer
Miles of force
main
Number of
maintenance
access
structures
Number of
pump stations
Number of
siphons
Number of air,
vacuum, or
air/vacuum
relief valves
D.
E.
F.
G.
H.
Number of Service Connections:
Residential Commercial _
Lateral Responsibility (check one)
1. At main line connection only
Industrial
Total
2. From main line to property line or easement/cleanout.
3. Beyond property line/cleanout
4. Other
System combined (storm and sanitary)? Yes No
Average Annual Precipitation inches
System Flow Characteristics (total for service area)
If yes, % combined
Peak Dry Weather Flow (MOD)
Peak Wet Weather Flow (MOD)
Average Daily Flow (MOD)
A-l
-------
III. Special Conditions
A. Indicate local conditions that are accounted for during design, construction,
operation, and maintenance of the collection system.
1. Precipitation: Yes No If yes, provide brief explanation.
4.
5.
6.
Terrain: Yes
No
If yes, provide brief explanation.
Soils: Yes
No
If yes, provide brief explanation
Temperature: Yes.
No
. If yes, provide brief explanation
Groundwater: Yes
No
. If yes, provide brief explanation
Geology: Yes
No
If yes, provide brief explanation
7.
Other:
B. Is corrosion a significant problem?
Is there a corrosion control program in place?
C. Is odor a significant problem?
• Is there an odor control program in place?
D. Is grease a significant problem?
• Is there a grease control program in place?
E. Are roots a significant problem?
Is there a root control program in place?
IV. Age Distribution of Collection System
Yes No.
Yes No.
Yes No.
Yes No.
Yes No.
Yes. No
Yes.
Yes
.No.
No
Age
0 - 25 years
26 - 50 years
51 -75 years
> 76 years
Gravity Sewer, miles
Force Mains, miles or feet
Number of Pump Stations
A-2
-------
V. Size Distribution of Collection System
Diameter in inches
8 inches or less
9-18 inches
19-36 inches
> 36 inches
Gravity Sewer, miles
Force Mains, miles or feet
VI. Distribution of Gravity Sewer By Material
A. Vitrified Clay Pipe (VCP)
B. Reinforced Concrete Pipe (RCP)
C. Unreinforced Concrete Pipe (CP)
D. Plastic (all types)
E. Brick
F. Other
G. Other
H. Other
VII. Distribution of Force Mains By Material
A. Reinforced Concrete Pipe (RCP)
B. Prestressed Concrete Cylinder Pipe (PCCP)
C. Asbestos Cement Pipe (ACP)
D. Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC)
E. Steel
F. Ductile Iron
G. Cast Iron
H. Techite (RPMP)
I. High Density Polyethylene (HOPE)
J. Fiberglass Reinforced Plastic (FRP)
K. Other
. Miles
. Miles
Miles
Miles
Miles
Miles
. Miles
Miles
(circle one)
miles or feet
miles or feet
miles or feet
miles or feet
miles or feet
miles or feet
miles or feet
miles or feet
miles or feet
miles or feet
miles or feet
A-3
-------
VIII. Preventive Maintenance of System
A. Physical Inspection of Collection System, Preventive Maintenance
Inspection Activity
CCTV
Visual Manhole
Inspection, Surface Only
Visual Manhole
Inspection, Remove
Cover
Visual Gravity Line
Inspection, Surface Only
Visual Force Main
Inspection, Surface Only
Other (Sonar, etc.)
Total Annual Labor
Hours Expended for This
Activity
Total Completed (Miles
of Pipe or Manholes
Inspected Annually)
Crew Size (s)
B. Mechanical and Hydraulic Cleaning, Preventive Maintenance
Cleaning
Activity
Hydraulic Jet
Bails, Kites,
Scooters
Combination
Machines
Rod Machines
Hand Rodding
Bucket
Machines
Chemical Root
Control
Chemical or
Biological
Grease Control
Total Annual
Labor Hours
Expended for
This Activity
Total Annual
Labor Hours
Expended for
Scheduled PM
Total Miles
Cleaned
Annually
Crew Size (s)
Range of Pipe
Diameters
Cleaned
A-4
-------
IX. Dry Weather Stoppages
A. Number of stoppages, annually.
B. Average time to clear stoppage.
C. Number of stoppages resulting in overflows and/or backups annually
D. Total quantity of overflow(s)
E. Is there an established procedure for problem diagnosis? Yes No
F. Are future preventive measures initiated based on diagnosis? Yes No.
G. What equipment is available for emergency response?
X. Repairs and Rehabilitation, Proactive
A. Number of annual spot repairs identified _
B. Number of annual spot repairs completed.
C. Percent of spot repairs contracted
D. Number of manholes identified for rehabilitation _
E. Number of manholes rehabilitated annually
F. Percent of manhole repairs contracted
G. Feet of main line needing rehabilitation
H. Feet of main line rehabilitated
I. Percent of main line rehabilitation contracted
J. Number of manholes scheduled for rehabilitation under Capital Improvement Program (s).
K. Feet of main line scheduled for rehabilitation under Capital Improvement Program (s)
XI. Repairs and Rehabilitation, Reactive
A. Number of annual line features
B. Number of line repairs
XII. Pump Stations
A. Number of pump stations inspected
Frequency of inspections (daily, every other day, weekly)
B. Number of inpsection crews
C. Crew size
D. Number of pump stations with pump capacity redundancy
E. Number of pump stations with backup power sources
F. Number of pump stations with dry weather capacity limitations _
G. Number of pump stations with wet weather capacity limitations.
H. Number of pump stations calibrated annually
I. Number of pump stations with permanent flowmeters
J. Number of pump stations with remote status monitoring
K. Number of pump stations with running time meters
L. Number of mechanical maintenance staff assigned to mechanical maintenance.
M. Number of electrical maintenance staff assigned to electrical maintenance
N. Total labor hours scheduled annually for electrical and mechanical PM tasks _
O. Total labor hours expended annually for electrical and mechanical PM tasks
XIII. Pump Station Failures, Dry Weather
A. Number of failures resulting in overflows^ypass or backup, annually
B. Total quantity of overflow^ypass Gallons or MG
C. Average time to restore operational capability hours
D. Total labor hours expended for electrical and mechanical corrective maintenance tasks.
E. Is failure mode and effect diagnosed? Yes No
F. Are future preventive measures initiated based on diagnosis? Yes No
G. What equipment is available for emergency response?
A-5
-------
XIV. Force Mains
A. Force mains inspected annually miles or feet (visual surface inspection of
alignment)
B. Force mains monitored annually miles or feet (pressure profile, capacity)
C. Number of force main failures annually
D. Cause(s) of force main failures
XV. Air Relief/Vacuum Valves
A. What is frequency of valve inspections?.
B. What is frequency of PM (backflushing, etc)?.
C. Number of annual valve failures
D. Cause(s) of valve failures
XVI. System Operation and Maintenance Efficiency
A. Total full time or full time equivalent staff assigned to O & M (excluding administration staff but
including line managers, supervisors)
B. Total estimated labor hours actually expended for active O & M tasks (this is the total above less
hours for sick, vacation, holidays, training, breaks, etc., not directly related to performing O & M
tasks)
XVII. Level of Service
A. Average annual rate for residential users
B. Rate based on: water consumption Flat rate Other _
C. Number of complaints annually
D. Number of complaints that are agency responsibility
E. Number of public health or other warnings issued annually
F. Number of claims for damages due to backups annually
G. Total cost of claims settled annually
XVIII. Financial
A. Total annual revenue received from wastewater
1. % of revenue for long-term debt
2. % of revenue for treatment and disposal.
3. % of revenue for collection and conveyance
B. Current value of collection system assets
C. Annual O & M expenditure
D. Annual CIP expenditure for repair, replacement, or rehabilitation _
E. Annual O & M training budget
F. Total number of O & M personnel (including administrative in O & M department).
G. Number of personnel with collection system certification
H. Number of personnel qualified for collection system certification
I. Amount of O & M budget allocated for contracted services
J. Hydroflush cost per foot
K. Rodding cost per foot
L. Bucketing cost per foot
M. CCTV cost per foot
N. Spot repairs, cost each
XIX. Safety
A. Total labor hours assigned to O & M _
B. Number of lost time injuries
C. Total lost time days
D. Total cost of lost time injuries
A-6
-------
XX. Regulatory
A. Total number of violations issued annually
B. Total cost of fines paid annually
C. What is minimum reportable quantity in gallons?.
D. What is time reporting requirement?
E. Number of annual WWTP upsets due to wet weather flow.
XXL General
A. Has SSES been performed on system? Yes No
B. Total O & M positions currently budgetd
C. Total O & M positions currently filled
D. Is computerized maintenance management system (s) used for O & M managing? Yes No.
E. Is GIS system used for O & M managing? Yes No
XXII. Procedures or Other Documentation Available
A. Overflow, bypass and containment Yes No
B. Problem evaluation and solution Yes No
C. Cleanup procedure Yes No
D. Failure mode and effect procedure Yes No
E. O & M budget process Yes No
F. O & M budget with line item detail Yes No
G. Long-range CIP planning for system expansion, rehabilitation, and replacement Yes No _
H. Is there a written procedure for cleanup to mitigate effect of overflow? Yes No
I. Is there a written procedure for containing overflows and bypasses? Yes No
J. Is there an established procedure for containing overflows and bypasses? Yes No
K. Is there an established procedure for problem evaluation and solution? Yes No
L. Is there an established procedure for cleanup to mitigate effect of overflow? Yes No.
M. Is there a grease control program? Yes No
N. Is there a pretreatment program? Yes No
O. Is there a private source I/I reduction program? Yes No
P. Do you have chronic O & M problems that are designed into your system? Yes No _
If yes, provide brief description
Q. Do you have chronic O & M problems that are constructed into your system? Yes No.
If yes, provide brief description
R. How would you rate your construction inspection program?
Very effective Needs improvement Poor _
XXIII. Definitions/Clarifications
A. Maintenance access structures, most commonly manholes, in your system that are incorporated
into your O & M program.
B. Pump capacity redundancy is the ability to maintain pumping at design capacity with the largest
pump out of service.
C. Remote status monitoring is any remote monitoring system such as alarm telemetry or SCADA
that provides remote pump station status information.
D. You will notice that in the section on stoppages and pump station failures, we are asking for dry
weather incidents only. Dry weather system performance is a good indicator or effectiveness of O
& M program. If you have wet weather information that you wish to provide also, please do.
E. Under the Special Conditions sections we are identifying conditions that are present in your
system that require consideration during design, construction, and O & M of your system.
-------
F. Any of the questions dealing with labor hours are designed to determine total labor hours
irrespective of crew size or crews that are only assigned to cleaning, for example, less than full
time.
G. Our goal is to obtain data that can be or are standardized and that are accurate. We also realize
that some data may not be available; however, data can be accurately estimated. If you estimate
data please follow with an (E).
H. If data is not available please indicate "NA." If data does not apply to your system, please indicate
by "DNA."
I. Failure mode and effect refers to any established procedure you have to diagnose system failures
to determine the cause and effect of the failure. This can apply to crews clearing stoppages or to
pump station failures.
J. Pump station inspection (XII) means scheduled inspection by operators to verify station operation
and perform PM. It excludes electrical or mechanical craft maintenance.
K. Stoppage in section IX refers only to stoppages other than pump stations. Pump stations are
covered in Section XIII. Backup in this case refers to a basement or other structure backup as
opposed to main line sewer backup.
XXIV. Additional Comments
A-8
-------
Appendix B
EXAMPLE INTERVIEW SCHEDULE
AND TOPICS
-------
EXAMPLE INTERVIEW SCHEDULE AND TOPICS
Days 1 and 2 Interviews
Work Practice
or Maintenance
Function
Description
Examples of Discussion Topics and Supporting
Documents
Name
Interview
Date, Time,
and Location
Senior
Management
Discuss project expectations, report review
and comment process.
Overview of organizational structure and
"culture".
Identify sensitive issues and how to approach.
Schedule
Project Kick off
Meeting
Overview and purpose of project.
Interview and field assessment process.
Report content and review process.
Questions and answers
None
Physical
Inspection and
Testing - Gravity
sewer system
Visual Inspection, pipe alignment.
CCTV
Smoke and Dye Testing
Other
Reports, inspection forms, performance data,
inspection strategy, crew assignments and
schedules, equipment available, current
expenditures and budgeted amounts, area maps,
Standard Operating Procedures, field maps.
B- 1
-------
Work Practice
or Maintenance
Function
Description
Examples of Discussion Topics and Supporting
Documents
Name
Interview
Date, Time,
and Location
Preventive
Maintenance -
Mechanical and
hydraulic
cleaning
High velocity jets and combination machines.
Other hydraulic methods
Rodding Machines
Bucket Machines
Reports, performance data, preventive
maintenance cleaning strategy, crew assignments
and schedules, equipment available, current and
budgeted, problem areas, Standard Operating
Procedures, Standard Maintenance Procedures,
problem diagnosis
Chemical and
biological
cleaning
Root control
Grease control
Odor control
Corrosion control
Grease control ordinance, enforcement, odor and
corrosion control strategy, root control program,
design for O&M considerations, materials used
(MSDS), reports, performance data, preventive
maintenance cleaning strategy, crew assignments
and schedules, equipment available, current and
budgeted, problem areas, Standard Operating
Procedures, Standard Maintenance Procedures,
problem diagnosis, public education, enforcement
Pump Stations
Routine inspection
Electrical and mechanical maintenance
SCADA
Standby/emergency systems
Valves
Forcemains
Logs, inspection sheets, Standard Maintenance
Procedures, Standard Operating procedures, pump
station inventory and attribute data base, spares
inventory, Reports, performance data, preventive
maintenance strategy, crew assignments and
schedules, equipment available, current and
budgeted, critical pump stations, Standard
Operating Procedures, Standard Maintenance
Procedures, problem diagnosis, preventive and
predictive maintenance methods, maintenance
tasks and frequencies, O&M manuals, capacity
issues
B-2
-------
Work Practice
or Maintenance
Function
Description
Examples of Discussion Topics and Supporting
Documents
Name
Interview
Date, Time,
and Location
Training and
Certification
Training program, technical, supervisory and
management.
Certification program
Knowledge, skills and abilities, basic skills, career
paths, minimum qualifications, certification,
educational assistance program, internal and
external training, OJT, training budget
Work
Management
Planning and scheduling work
Materials management
Priority
Backlog management
Procurement
Manual or Computer Maintenance
Management System (CMMS)
Complaints and emergencies normal hours and
after hours.
Corrective, preventive and predictive maintenance
work orders, work backlog, labor utilization,
reports,
B-3
-------
Work Practice
or Maintenance
Function
Description
Examples of Discussion Topics and Supporting
Documents
Name
Interview
Date, Time,
and Location
Safety
Safety committee
Safety meetings
Safety enforcement
Documentation of comprehensive safety
training
Compliance with safety regulations
Documentation of effectiveness of safety
program (e.g., reduction of accidents)
Documentation of attendance and learning at
safety training sessions
Policy and procedures for trenching, confined
space, lockout tagout, PPE. Safety manual, formal
training, tracking, accident investigation
Financial
Annual O&M Budget
Rates
CIP for rehabilitation/rehab
Non-enterprise fund allocations
O&M budget process, line item accounts, five year
CIP plan, repair, rehabilitation, replacement
strategy for pipes and pump stations
B-4
-------
Work Practice
or Maintenance
Function
Description
Examples of Discussion Topics and Supporting
Documents
Name
Interview
Date, Time,
and Location
Construction and
Repair
Emergency repair
Spot repairs, gravity system
Rehabilitation
Lateral installation
Inspection
New Construction
Testing
Reports, inspection forms, performance data,
inspection strategy, crew assignments and
schedules, equipment available, current and
budgeted, area maps, Standard Operating
Procedures, field maps,
Fleet
Management
Maintenance
Replacement
Availability
Budgeting
Inventory, repair and replacement process,
maintenance turn around time, preventive
maintenance, Standard Operating Procedures,
Standard Maintenance Procedures, CMMS,
B-5
-------
Day 3 - Field
Pump Stations
Work Practice
or Maintenance
Function
Pump Station
Maintenance
Description
Submersible
Cast in place wet well dry well
Prefabricated
Grinder/Low Pressure System
Examples of Discussion Topics and Supporting
Documents
Logs, O&M manuals, on-site procedures, vehicles
and equipment, SCAD A, Supervisory controls,
electrical systems, flow meters, HVAC, variable
speed systems, chronic problems, pumps and
hydraulic systems.
Name
Interview
Date, Time
and Location
B-6
-------
Day 4 - Field
Facilities and Crews
Work Practice
or Maintenance
Function
Description
Examples of Discussion Topics and Supporting
Documents
Name
Interview
Date, Time
and Location
Facilities
Electrical and mechanical repair shops and
equipment
Warehouse and equipment storage areas
Vehicle maintenance shops
Crew areas; locker rooms, training areas,
dispatch areas
Logs, O&M manuals, on-site procedures, vehicles
and equipment, SCAD A, Supervisory controls,
electrical systems, flow meters, HVAC, variable
speed systems, chronic problems, pumps and
hydraulic systems,
Crews
Exit Interview
CCTV
Cleaning
Construction Repair
Overview of findings for week
N/A
None
B-7
-------
Appendix C
INFORMATION SOURCES
-------
Information Sources
(Updated November 2004)
WEBSITES (water and/or wastewater-oriented; financial related)
EPA National Compliance Assistance Clearinghouse www.epa.gov/clearinghouse
Compliance Assistance Centers http://www.assistancecenters.net
Construction Industry Compliance Assistance Center www.cicacenter.org
EPA NPDES website http://www.epa. gov/npdes
EPA Operator On-Site Technical Assistance Program-104(g) www.epa.gov/owm/mab/smcomm/104g/sstc.htm
(hands-on assistance to small municipal WWTP operators at no cost to community)
EPA Office of Wastewater Management www.epa.gov/owm
EPA Clean Water Tribal Grant Program www.epa.gov/owm/mab/indian/cwisa.htm
EPA Colonias Program www.epa.gov/owm/mab/mexican
EPA Clean Water State Revolving Loan Fund Program www.epa.gov/owm/cwfinance/cwsrf
EPA Website (Headquarters & Regions) www.epa.gov/
EPA Small Business Gateway http://www.epa.gov/smallbusiness
Environmental Finance Center http://sspa.boisestate.edu/efc
National Environmental Services Center/WV University www.nesc.wvu.edu
Local Govt. Environmental Assistance Network www.lgean.org
Rural Community Assistance Program (RCAP) www.rcap.org
Water Environment Federation (WEF) www.wef.org
AMSA www.amsa-cleanwater.org/pubs/
American Water Works Assoc. (AWWA) http://www.awwa.org/
National Association of Towns & Townships (NATAT) http://www.natat.org/
PUBLICATIONS /TRAINING VIDEOS /NEWSLETTERS, etc.
EPA National Service Center For Environmental Publications (NSCEP)
USEPA/NSCEP
PO Box 42419
Cincinnati, OH 45242
Tele: 1-800-490-9198 or 513-489-8190 (fax: 513-489-8695)
EPA Office of Water Resource Center
Tele: 202-566-1729 (24 hours)
center. water-resources(@,epa.gov
ci
-------
National Environmental Services Center (formerly the National Small Flows Clearinghouse)
West Virginia University Small Business Gateway
P.O. Box 6064
Morgantown, WV 26506
Tele: 1-800-624-8301
California State University - Sacremento
Tele: 916-278-6142
(training videos, etc.)
List Compiled by Sharie Centilla, USEPA/OECA
centilla. sharie(@,epa. gov
33
C2
-------
Guide for Evaluating CMOM Programs at Wastewater Collection Systems
REFERENCES
California State University (CSU) Sacramento. 1996. Operation and Maintenance of Wastewater
Collection Systems. Volume I, Fifth Ed. Prepared for EPA, Office of Water Programs
Operations. Sacramento, CA: California State University, Sacramento Foundation.
California State University (CSU) Sacramento. 1998. Operation and Maintenance of Wastewater
Collection Systems. Volume II, Fifth Ed. Prepared for EPA, Office of Water Programs
Operations. Sacramento, CA: California State University, Sacramento Foundation.
U.S. EPA National Enforcement Investigations Center (NEIC). 1992. Multi-media Investigations
Manual. EPA-330/9-89-003-R.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. 1974. "Process Design Manual for Sulfide Control in
Sanitary Sewerage Systems." Prepared for the Technology Transfer Office of the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency. EPA 625/1-74-005. pg. 3-27.
U.S. EPA Office of Water. 1973. Manpower Requirements for Wastewater Collection Systems in
Cities and Towns of up to 150,000 Population. EPA-832-R-73-104.
U. S. EPA Office of Water. 1974. Manpower Requirements for Wastewater Collection Systems
in Cities of 150,000 to 500,000Population. EPA-832-R-74-102.
U.S. EPA Office of Water. 1983. Procedures Manual for Reviewing a POTW Pretreatment
Program Submission. E/M-833-B-83-200.
U.S. EPA Office of Water. 1985. Design Manual: Odor and Corrosion Control in Sanitary
Sewerage Systems and Treatment Plants. EPA-625-1-85-018.
U.S. EPA Office of Water. 2004. NPDES Compliance Inspection Manual. EPA-305-X-03-004.
U.S. EPA Office of Water. 2004. Report to Congress: Impacts and Controls on CSOs andSSOs.
EPA-833-R-04-001.
Water Environment Federation. 1994. Existing Sewer Evaluation & Rehabilitation: WEF
Manual of Practice FD-6, ASCE Manuals and Reports on Engineering Practice No. 62.
Alexandria, VA: WEF.
R-l
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