By: Pete Olson Sr., Wachs Water Services Outsourcing can be defined as "the strategic use of outside resources to perform activities traditionally handled by internal staff and resources". Outsourcing is a strategy by which an organization contracts out major…
Q: Can you explain the importance of correct valve position? A: Correct valve position is so important it should be placed in the critical category. If the water system design calls for a valve to be “normally open” that is closed…
Critical valves control vital water transmission lines - the backbone of any water system. Operable critical valves reduce the consequences when large diameter pipeline failures occur. Some of the challenges of maintaining the reliability of critical valves are: Critical valve…
Grand Rapids is the second largest water system in Michigan and delivers clean drinking water to the Greater Grand Rapids area using Lake Michigan as its raw water source. From an overall infrastructure standpoint, the Grand Rapids Water System operates…
Q: How often should large and critical valves be exercised? A: Some manufacturers recommend six months while others recommend annually. The AWWA's M44 Manual, Distribution Valves: Selection, Installation, Field Testing and Maintenance, Third Edition, recommends that valves deemed critical are…
Q: What are some benefits of collecting asset information from the field in real-time? A: Real-time asset assessment collection allows for many benefits to both Wachs Water Services and our customers. Some of these include: The ability to spot sub-optimal data…
Q: What are some additional benefits – other than dramatic cost savings – of rehabilitating large valves rather than replacing them? A: In addition to cost savings (repair is a fraction of replacement cost) there are many other benefits to…
A utility client in the upper Midwest operates and maintains approximately 1,250 miles of water main, 31,000 system valves, approximately 1,320 large system valves (16” and larger) and has a maximum day demand of approximately 75 MGD. In 2017, the utility…
Wachs Water Services is proud to announce that Katie McCain will receive the 2018 Water Industry Hall of Fame Award at ACE18 in Las Vegas. Katie's professionalism and dedication to the water industry have distinguished her as a passionate leader. …
Q: How does leak detection lead to a reduction in real water loss? Leak detection is all about identifying opportunities to reduce real water loss. There are different approaches; leak surveys (where an area is surveyed for indications of leakage), leak…