Overview Water Distribution

Valve Maintenance

Distribution valve maintenance is critical to ensure that your water system is in good condition.  Buried, frozen, or difficult valves can have a huge impact on emergency response.  At iWater, Inc., our valve exercising program is an effective way to check the status of your entire distribution system, while complying with Department of Health mandates.  We provide a full service solution to GPS locate, clean, operate, verify condition, provide detailed reports, and integrate with any database out there.  iWater’s crew leads are DHS grade D2 or higher and capture field data using infraMAP® software to guarantee an unprecedented level of quality control.

Preventing Sticking and Seizing

Valve Seizure: Over time, valves that aren’t operated regularly may seize up, causing difficulties when they need to be used in an emergency or routine operation. Exercising helps prevent this by ensuring the moving parts don’t corrode or become stuck.

Ensuring Proper Functionality

Readiness: By regularly exercising valves, field crews can confirm that each valve will work properly. If a valve is stuck or not fully operational, it can cause major issues when the system is under stress.

Extending Valve Lifespan

Maintenance of Seals and Gaskets: Regular operation helps seals and gaskets so they don’t dry out, crack, or wear prematurely, which can lead to leaks or the need for costly replacements.

Preventing Debris Buildup: Exercising helps break loose debris that may have accumulated in the valve, which is beneficial when trying to get a shutdown.

Improved System Reliability

Quick Response During Emergencies: When a break or leak happens, operators need to be able to quickly shut off water to prevent damage and minimize service disruption. Exercised valves are much more likely to function reliably in these types of situations.

Compliance and Record-Keeping

Regulatory Compliance: Regular exercising helps comply with state regulations and maintenance obligations.

Data Logging and Reporting: Valve maintenance provides an opportunity to inspect and document the condition of each valve, creating a record of maintenance that can be useful for Asset Management.

Lower Long-Term Maintenance Costs

Reduced Repair Costs: Identifying issues early, allows for repairs before the problem becomes more serious and costly. This proactive maintenance can prevent major failures that might require expensive fixes or replacements.

Optimized Water Distribution

Better Control Over Flow: Exercising valves ensures that they can effectively control the flow of water throughout the distribution system. This can help with tasks like routine flushing, fire flow testing and overall efficiency.

Minimizing Disruptions: Valves that are regularly exercised are less likely to malfunction during routine shutoffs for repairs, minimizing disruptions to service.

iWater Field Services Features and Benefits

• Projects are always completed on-time and within budget.
• Professional, uniformed field personnel receive weekly safety training.
• Vehicles are outfitted with vacuums, hydraulics, and safety lighting.
• Information is collected on computers running infraMAP.
• Crew leads are certified DHS Grade D2 or higher.
• Valves are worked up and down to guarantee smooth operation.
• Out of service assets are immediately identified and documented.
• iWater staff can make on-site repairs when needed.
• Detailed project maps and reports can be delivered in any format.
• EH Wachs Valve Exercisers are utilized for valves that cannot be turned by hand.
• Additional iWater support and assistance is always available.

Hydrant Maintenance

Fire Hydrant Maintenance is a very important asset in any water system. As a crucial asset that is expected to work all the time, maintenance on these hydrants cannot be overlooked. iWater, Inc., distribution certified field crews can assist with your fire hydrant maintenance needs. From simple operation of opening the ports to clear the stack, checking static psi and flow rates to full maintenance of a hydrant, we have you covered. With over 25 years of providing hydrant maintenance service, iWater can help utilities save money on replacement, improve water quality through unidirectional flushing (UDF) and documentation for your GIS.

Ensures Readiness for Any Situation

The primary benefit of fire hydrant maintenance is ensuring that hydrants are ready for use on demand.

Quick Access to Water: Regularly maintained hydrants ensure that the hydrant is working properly and ready for use.

Reduces Risk of System Failures

Without regular maintenance, fire hydrants can deteriorate due to corrosion, seizing of internal valves, or clogging with debris. This can lead to:

Sticking or Jammed Valves: Regularly exercising hydrant valves ensures smooth operation when performing tasks like routine flushing or fire flow’s.

Leaks: Leaks in the hydrant’s valve, nozzle, or casing can reduce water pressure or lead to water wastage, which in turn contributes to non-revenue water loss.

Obstruction in Water Flow: If a hydrant isn’t maintained regularly, the internal mechanism might become stuck, preventing water from flowing freely when needed.

Extends Hydrant Lifespan

Regular maintenance can significantly extend the lifespan of fire hydrants by preventing wear and tear, rust, and corrosion. A well-maintained hydrant can last many decades.

Reducing Corrosion: Lubricating moving parts and protecting against rust helps the hydrant body and valve mechanism last longer.

Prolonging Operational Life: Maintaining the hydrant to make sure it opens and closes smoothly reduces the risk of the internal components seizing up.

Better Resource Management

Maintaining hydrants is an effective way to manage resources:

System Monitoring: Regular inspections provide useful data on the overall condition of the water distribution network, helping to identify areas of concern.

Efficient Scheduling: Scheduled maintenance means that issues are addressed before they cause major disruptions, which improves the overall efficiency of water distribution system.

Cost Savings

While maintaining fire hydrants requires an initial investment, it can ultimately save money in the long run by:

Reducing Repairs: Preventing major failures through regular maintenance means fewer costly repairs or replacements.

iWater Field Services Features and Benefits

• Get Real-World locations of hydrants and hydrant valves.
• Services include GPS, maintenance, repair, painting and flushing.
• Ability to provide UDF of a water system and flushing plans.
• Updates to your Esri GIS data.
• Immediate notification of leaking or out of service hydrants.
• iWater lead GPS technicians are DHS grade 2 or higher.
• Information is collected on tablets running infraMAP software.