Sewer Jetting – The How and the Why

Until something goes wrong, the average citizen will seldom, if ever, stop to think about the vast network of underground pipelines that serve to distance humans from their bodily waste. As long as those pipelines continue to function as intended, not only will that waste not soil our homes, but it will also be processed, recycled, and put to good use. To ensure that process will operate efficiently, regular sewer jetting is essential.

Rather like arteries, sewage pipes display a tendency to accumulate hard deposits on their inner walls. If that build-up is allowed to continue, the affected lines can become blocked or even burst; hence the need for frequent attention. Naturally, a task of this magnitude requires an exceptionally powerful cleaning solution. However, it is equally essential that the solution is environmentally friendly, safe to use and minimally invasive. While, alternatively known as hydro or water jetting in other applications, in this case, the method of choice is termed sewer jetting. The necessary equipment standing due to external influences such as subcultures, social media, and technology. Newly fabricated words that made their debut on Twitter can quickly become additions to the Oxford English Dictionary. One word that can strike fear into the hearts of sewage workers is “fatberg”. The word refers to a rock-like obstruction in a sewage pipe composed of non-biodegradable items trapped in congealed fat and grease.

Fatbergs can weigh tons and extend for hundreds of metres. Although sewer jetting has proved to be the most effective means to break down these giant obstructions into more manageable chunks, the final clean-up requires some manual intervention. These malodourous obstructions are a growing problem in many cities worldwide, especially those with older sewage systems. On the plus side, some cities now dispose of the broken-up material by converting it to biodiesel.

In practice, sewer jetting is not the only application for this form of cleaning technology. High-pressure water jets are widely used in the mining industry to clean earthmoving vehicles and by farmers for similar tasks. Contact us today for more information on sewer jetting.