We’re in the heat of the summer across North America, a sure sign that we are entering the third quarter of the year. The heat reminds us that now is a great time to fix those inflow and infiltration (I&I) problems that came up during the first half of the year, so we don’t encounter those exact same inflow and infiltration issues next year.
The summer also gives us an opportunity to look back on the past few months to identify any trends that we may need to get in front of, as we plan out the back half of 2023. As an inflow and infiltration specialist, we noticed a few trends impacting public works departments and municipalities over the last three months:
Shortage Of Workforce: A number of departments have mentioned a workforce shortage, and how this is impacting the number of projects they are able to complete. While we can’t help with the shortage, we are able to offer insights and knowledge that help departments solve a few challenges faster. For example, stopping I&I in their area. While it may seem challenging with a smaller workforce, it really isn’t when departments use a product that can be lifted and installed (with ease) by one person. Add to that scenario the need to close an area for only an hour or two vs a full day, and you’ve got a product that can help a small team stop I&I in their area pretty quickly.
Reduced Budgets: Yep, a number of states are holding onto their budgets and extra spend may not be trickling down to the cities, towns and villages. But that doesn’t mean everything stops. In fact, we would challenge that idea and instead encourage cities, towns and villages to make necessary fixes now that save your area money. We’re talking about stopping inflow and infiltration. Stopping leaks will save your department money, and the money saved, means your team can focus on other projects later in the year.
Limited Time: This is a culmination of a lot of things, including a reduced workforce. Get around the limited time issue by fixing a problem, while training your team at the same time, with a product demonstration. The free (yep, we said free) product demonstrations that we offer are a combination training and installation in one. We bring the product, and train your team on-site on how to install the product. It’s a great opportunity to stop an I&I issue and prep your team to fix other issues. Now is a great time to fix those inflow and infiltration (I&I) problems?
Not Sure Where To Begin: We’ve also encountered a few departments that simply don’t know where to begin in terms of I&I. We’re quick to give them tips on what to look for, and where to begin (hint, fix the most obvious issues first). Ignoring just one 10 gallon leak can result in a waste of $10,512* per year. Think about changing the $10,512 into savings for your department, by fixing that leak!
The bottom line is that Q2 2023 was no picnic, but by learning from some of the issues that departments faced, you can turn Q3 2023 into a different scenario. The first step, contact us for a free product demonstration – it’s easy, and best of all, our product demos can solve an I&I challenge in your area.
* WWTP cost approximately $2 per 1000 gallons. 5,256,000/1000 x $2 = $10,512 per year