MCU14/0056 Response to SARA - Consulting Report

Care should be taken with old or damaged pit covers and grates. Grates or covers
observed to be in poor condition should be first inspected to determine whether further
damage will occur if an attempt to remove the grate is made. Pits grates which appear to
be severely damaged or appear as though they would break while being removed should
not be removed. Contact the client (and pit owner if not the client) and IES (IES Sydney
office number is 02 9907 1401) to discuss an appropriate action. Pit grates and covers
damaged by the contractor will be repaired at the cost of the contractor, or as part of an
arrangement with the pit owner.


3.2.3 Pits unable to be opened
Pits may be unable to be opened for several reasons, including through corrosion, new
road surfaces covering the pit lid, and foreign material jammed in the lid. The following
steps may assist in opening the pits:
     Chip away new road coverings or concrete/bitumen spills using a pinch bar or
       similar device. Care must be taken not to damage road surfaces.
     Corroded or jammed pits may be loosened from the grate frame by using a
       lubricant such as RP7 and tapping the grate frame and grate. Note if the grate or
       grate frame appears severely corroded, the grate should not be opened and
       IES and the client should be contacted to discuss options.
     Pits which cannot be opened may require a hydraulic lifting arm to fully remove the
       lid.



3.3   Cleaning Methods
One of the following methods of maintenance should be used for the servicing of these
Enviropod Filters:
 Cleaning using Inductor Truck.
 Hand Maintenance.

One of the advantages of the Enviropod units is that it doesn’t require specialised
equipment for maintenance. In certain situations it may be more feasible to maintain the
units using the inductor truck method, while for other projects hand maintenance may be
the preferred option. The cleaning method for the Enviropod units should be evaluated
specifically for each project.


3.3.1   Cleaning using Inductor Truck

The following steps indicate a safe and efficient method to clean the Enviropod using an
Inductor:
   1. Open gully pit. (See Section 3.2)
   2. Place the inductor hose over the material collected in the filter bag and switch on
        the inductor.
   3. Using the inductor hose suck all of the sediment, organic leaf material, litter etc,
        collected in the filter bag
   4. Allow the filter bag to be sucked up into the inductor hose for a few seconds to
        allow for the filter mesh pores to be cleaned. Care is to be taken by the operator
        not to damage the filter, ie ensure that there are no sharp edges on the inductor
        hose.
   5. If material has build up around the overflows, use the inductor hose to clear the
        accumulated material.
   6. Remove filter bag from the pit.