Wash Water System Maintenance

We thought it would be good to provide details on some frequently asked questions, issues and responsibilities between the customer and the vendor when it comes to maintaining and servicing wash water pre-treatment and recycling systems.

Who cleans the trench drains, three stage interceptors, sump pits and grass screens in a wash water recycling system?

It is the responsibility of the customer to properly maintain their pits, trench drains, screens and interceptors as we are not certified waste haulers and do not make anything disappear. The amount of grass, solids, sand, oil and grease that get into your system must be dealt with on a frequency that aligns with your use and the solids load.

If it’s a turf maintenance facility and the trench drain is being filled with sand and grass then it must be cleaned out by your employees daily and this includes washing down the hydro screen for the best results.

If you are cleaning heavy equipment and have a cleanout pit that is building up solids then it is your responsibility to have that pit cleaned out on a regular basis so that does not load up the recycling or pretreatment equipment and cause unnecessary maintenance on the system with solids passing through and not having time to settle.

What does Superior Cleaning Equipment do as part of their P.M. agreement?

It is our job to proactively check the equipment including but not limited to pumps, floats, air lines, injection pumps, pH levels, replace microbes, test valves, purge the pretreatment and/or bio system tanks, etc. and look for possible mechanical failures. We do not clean out trench drains or pits or haul away solids.

If there are items outside of our checklists then we quote the repairs and labor cost for those items on a separate invoice and get permission from the customer to do those repairs. Repairs to the equipment that aren’t covered in the checklist are not part of the P.M. agreement.

We do a set list of services and then if we find anything that needs to be serviced or replaced let the customer know and get permission.

What happens if the trench drains, pits and the treatment equipment get too filled up with solids?

We then have to have a certified waste hauler come out and cleanout not only the pits and trench drains, but also the pretreatment tanks and systems, which is very expensive and we charge additional time for as it is not part of the PM agreement.

The best thing to do to avoid this is to do proactive pit maintenance and good housekeeping on the wash rack monitoring the solids load so that is proactively dealt with before it gets to the equipment. Our wash rack designs are intended to have any larger solids settle out before it gets to the equipment.

What are some of the characteristics of proactive companies that you work with regarding wash water pretreatment and recycling systems?

Many companies that we service have regularly scheduled maintenance either in-house or from an outside service that comes in monthly, quarterly or semiannually to clean out and maintain their pits. In turf maintenance facilities the superintendent or equipment manager has assigned someone or a group to check in cleanout the trench drains and pits on a daily or weekly basis. They don’t wait until the trenches, pits or equipment gets backed up.

Accessories to help cleanout trench drains or pits

A sump pit cleaner and cart attachment hooks up to a pressure washer using a Venturi effect that will suck up solids and collect them into a filter bag for disposal as per your local regulations.

• Sump Pit Cleaners (Product Category)

Checklists

• Daily, Weekly, Monthly Checklist (PDF format)

Daily Checks Performed By System Owner

• Check equipment area for debris, clean as needed
• Check pits for water level (overflow/dry)
• Check for voltage to machine and that control panel switches are on
• Check all plumbing for leaks
• Check inlet flow meter for proper flow
• (If Applicable) Check indexing paper filter, trim excess paper if necessary; Re-align to tray
• (If Applicable) Make sure that CoAg and EC chemicals inject properly; Check levels
• (If Applicable) Empty grass cart / debris dumpster
• (If Applicable) Clean off the front and back of grass cart with pressure washer
• Clean trench by removing all debris

Weekly Checks Performed By System Owner

• Open drain valve on solids tank to purge solids (manual only)
• Check and clean sump pit of dirt and debris, if necessary
• Clean floats in sump if accumulating dirt or grease, if necessary
• Check air stones/jets for debris and clean, if necessary
• (If Applicable) Empty grass cart / debris dumpster
• (If Applicable) Clean off the front and back of grass cart with pressure washer
• (If Applicable) Clean off the hydroscreen assembly with pressure washer
• Clean trench by removing all debris

Monthly Checks Performed By System Owner

• (If Applicable) Check microbe supply bucket level, replenish
• Clean out pits and interceptors of sludge and debris (recommend a sump pit cleaner)
• (If Applicable) Clean off the front and back of grass cart with pressure washer
• (If Applicable) Clean off the hydroscreen assembly with pressure washer
• Clean trench by removing all debris

Checks Performed By Superior Cleaning Equipment (Recommended Monthly P.M.)

• Open drain valve on solids tank to purge solids (manual only)
• Check pits for water level (overflow/dry)
• Check for voltage to machine and that control panel switches are on
• Check all plumbing for leaks
• Check inlet flow meter for proper flow
• Check and clean flow meter, if needed
• (If Applicable) Make sure that CoAg and EC chemicals inject properly; Check levels
• (If Applicable) Check microbe supply bucket level, replenish microbes
• Check ozone generator bulb, replace if needed
• (If Applicable) Clean and test pH probe
• Check timers for proper setting
• Clean floats in sump if accumulating dirt or grease, if necessary
• Check float wires for cuts or frays
• (If Applicable) Check and clean chemical injectors
• (If Applicable) Check tubing on pH controller for splits or cracking
• Check air stones/jets for debris and clean, if necessary
• (If Applicable) Check standard cubic feet per hour (SCFM) on ozone generator
• Check transfer pump switch settings
• Check surge tank pressure
• (If Applicable) Clean off the front and back of grass cart with pressure washer
• (If Applicable) Clean off the hydroscreen assembly with pressure washer
• Check tubing/pump on microbe dispenser pump
• Replace tubing every 6-12 months, clean screen in microbe bucket
• Provide and hook up monthly supply of microbes for BIO system, check pump