SUMMARY

PROJECT TITLE: Water System - Regional: Hydro Excavator

DEPARTMENT: Public Works

BUDGET CODE: CFP-WTR-00022

JUSTIFICATION: Improves reliability of service

START DATE (FY): TBD

END DATE (FY): TBD

PROJECT DESCRIPTION:

A hydro excavator is excavation equipment that uses high-pressure water to move soil or debris while simultaneously vacuuming it out. For the last several years, the water crew has been borrowing the sewer jet truck from the street crew to hydro-excavate areas with heavily occupied underground utilities. In some cases, we can expose the water line to replace or repair with conventional equipment (I.E., backhoe), but with some, if not all, the new utilities required to be buried, this proves to be a challenge. This includes preventing cross-contamination of sewer and drinking water during main breaks, safety of the Team and public while excavating, and efficiencies of operations among many other issues, such as saving water during main breaks and improved response times.

recommendation:

The use of hydro-excavators has become the industry standards to repairing water breaks and leaks due to the safety of water customers, employees, and the public.

PROJECT OBJECTIVES / STATUS:

272-hours of hydro-excavator rental and use from other departments have been documented in 2020 and 2021. Cross-contamination between sewer and water is an elevated risk. Increase in water main breaks has increased risk exposure to claims.