Manhole lubricant and sealant helps prevent I&I issues
Problem: The Lucas County Sanitary Engineer in Ohio operates and maintains approximately 450 miles of waterlines with 5,000 fire hydrants and three water booster pumping stations. The distribution system has 2.5 million gallons of surface storage capacity and 4 million gallons of elevated storage capacity. One of the largest problems is inflow and infiltration in manholes.
Solution: Hercules Shutout Manhole Lubricant and Sealant from Oatey can be applied to manhole frames to create a perfect seal, resulting in completed, airtight and watertight frames and cover interfaces. The sealant is nontoxic to workers or treatment-plant processes, is easy to clean and adheres to wet and dry surfaces. “This product works a lot better and shows a lower increase in flows due to I&I, because it creates a watertight seal,” says Todd Melnyk, utility crew leader.
Result: Melnyk says they’ve had no problems since applying the product to the test manhole lid during early spring 2020. “We check the manhole every Monday,” he reports, “and it’s still holding up well, specifically through rainy weather and heat.” According to Melnyk, LCSE’s maintenance division plans to keep using it as part of regular maintenance activities.
800-321-9532; www.oatey.com
