SMC’s Fleet of Vac Trucks

SMC recently attended the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) Operations and Maintenance (O&M) of Stormwater Control Measures Conference in Wilmington, NC and presented on the ‘Challenges of Maintaining Underground Stormwater BMPs’ with a focus on several of the major challenges encountered when performing maintenance on underground stormwater BMPs. How is an O&M inspection done? How much will it cost? How safe is it to complete an inspection on your own? From above, it doesn’t seem too bad. But manhole access, overhead utilities, and the ability for large trucks to reach the infrastructure all play into the inspection and that’s before delving down below. Underground, the maintenance work itself is complicated as it involves air monitoring, maneuvering through confined spaces all the while keeping safety first with appropriate PPE.

Scott Macomber, Vice President and Greg Harless, Associate and Underground Maintenance Division Leader led the discussion and expounded on common encounters our team faces – specifically with regards to strategic planning for vehicle access and avoiding overhead utility conflicts, challenges with human access and the ability to safely and efficiently mobilize equipment into the BMPs, and tackling a variety of complicated confined space situations while staying in line with adhering to safety regulations, amongst others.  

BMP Maintenance in Progress

The presentation was well received and overall the conference was insightful in understanding where stormwater control measure operations and maintenance is moving on a national basis. In an ever-evolving field, SMC participates in events such as this to ensure our staff is constantly growing and applying new information to help our clients in meeting all of their stormwater needs. 

If you have a stormwater need, contact Greg Harless at (443) 224-3011. We are happy to answer any questions you may have, or provide assistance in helping you decide whether SMC’s services can be a good fit for you.