Customarily, culvert residue is removed using vacuum trucks as well as human access into this concrete channel; the residue is flushed with a great amount of water to clean away any soil sediment. The cleaning of culverts and other drain water channeling structures are very vital in helping to prevent the possibility of inland flooding.

This job usually involves the removal of large amount of silt, sand deposits, debris and sludge. These important drainage water channels can become plugged or blocked and should be properly maintained to guarantee that any draining water is free-flowing. It is important to be aware that obstructed channels can instantly change something simple into a more severe environmental issue if not immediately addressed.

Culvert Cleaning

The removal of trash, accumulated debris, and sediment from culverts and other concrete channel structures has constantly been a laborious, hard and often life-threatening task. That was true until the vacuum truck appeared on the scene. Basically, this giant suctioning machine is positioned on a roadside shoulder close to the drainage channel; it should not be driven during the siphoning operation for safety reasons.

Pressure washers are used to strip off soil sediment and other debris that has accumulated in the structure. After that action, all of the water sprayed on the concrete including the debris, sand, silt, and sludge that has remained is suctioned into the vacuum truck. None of the rubble should be left in the concrete channel. When using a vacuum truck for this task, the result is enhanced productivity and cost efficiency.

Benefits

There are various benefits of using vacuum trucks to clean and remove debris from culverts. The clean-up and maintenance project is very difficult, time-consuming and expensive if done manually. In order to keep on schedule and perform the job more quickly, municipalities and government agencies must use vacuum trucks. Here are few of the benefits:

  • High Volume Capacity – The amount that these large suction machines can handle ranges from 5,500 to 9,000 gallons while smaller vehicles have the capacity to contain sludge up to 3,000 gallons. The vehicle is vital in transporting large amounts of sediment in one trip.
  • Efficient Performance – With technological advances, the vehicle has proven to have increased performance and efficiency in cleaning culverts. Not only that, it has an enhanced control mechanism for comfort plus much greater fuel efficiency.
  • Safety – Workers used to be the backbone of this cleaning operation; now the equipment plays a vital role in the capacity to deliver optimum services. An ongoing priority is to maintain safety and lower the risk to workers while performing the job. It is likewise important to provide goal accomplishment on a timely basis. With the use of a vacuum truck, the project can be done safely and efficiently.
  • Rapid Completion – Manual cleaning commonly takes several hours or days to complete; with the use of vacuum trucks, the debris can be removed in the least possible amount of time.
  • Easy Disposal – Once the vehicle is full of suctioned material, it can be directly and easily transported to treatment facilities without needing another transportation vehicle since the sediment is readily confined in the vacuum tank.

With advanced and modernized vacuum trucks in service today, culvert cleaning can be done in a safe and efficient manner. It is vital to clear any obstructions and pressure wash most water channels to reduce and prevent the possibility of flooding in any residential areas. Although workers still have to manually clear some blockages that can’t be handled by the vehicle, it is still possible for the vacuum trucks to clean away culvert residue and prevent any flooding issues!