I just came across this video on my computer and thought I would post it again. Our potable water dive team usually deploys to clean water storage tanks and towers. Occasionally we have a customer who wants a diver inspection. Diver inspection offers more detail than a remote underwater video camera or a Remotely Operated Video (ROV) inspection. The diver can look at specific areas and has the ability to evaluate more if not all of the tank. All of our equipment is purchased for and only used in potable water. We start off by spraying the diver down with a 200ppm chlorine solution just before he enters the tank. Take a look at this quick video and let us know what you think.
potable water Dive Team inspecting north central Texas tank. (c)2021 Ron Perrin
Thanks for taking a look at our video.
Since 1997 Ron Perrin Water Technologies, Inc. has been inspecting and cleaning water storage tanks and towers and we all love what we do.
Every time we clean the sediment out of a potable water storage tank we improve the water quality for that community
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Our potable water dive crew is one of the best ways to keep your water storage tanks clean and healthy. The diver is sealed in his own environment and washed down with a chlorine solution to meet USEPA and state water quality standards. The diver is then able to move about the tank freely allowing him to do an inspection, clean the floor or perform other needed tasks. Check out our Facebook page to see a video of this tank being cleaned https://www.facebook.com/ronperrinwatertech.
Since 1997 we have been inspecting and cleaning water storage tanks and towers. Our methods and procedures save millions of gallons of treated drinking water every month by allowing tanks to be inspected and cleaned while they remain in service.
Custom-built underwater camera and lighting system
Our custom-built underwater camera and lighting system is one of the best values in the industry allowing tanks to be inspected inside and out with no human entry. This saves water utilities time and money while delivering an informative inspection report that exceeds state documentation standards. An annual inspection that covers the interior of the tank all the way down to the sediment levels is one of the best ways to keep up with the health of your water system. For larger tanks, we also have several Remotely Controlled Vehicles (ROVs) that we can deploy when needed. The ROV is also equipped with an underwater lighting system that has the added benefit of being able to navigate to the rear of a large tank or look at specific areas you may want to document. You can see a short video of our ROV service here: https://youtu.be/21z5nbx2-R8. If your ground or elevated storage tanks need to be cleaned our potable water dive crew is a great way to get that done with no disruption in service and minimal water loss. If you have a standpipe with a water depth deeper than 50 feet we recommend WALLIE.
Wallie is what we call our standpipe cleaning robot. Capable of working at depths of 165 feet Wallie can stay down as long as it takes to get the job done right. He is equipped with two video cameras and a lighting system to allow the operator to see what he is doing. This also allows us to record the cleaning and document the final result for our customers. You can see Wallie in action here: https://youtu.be/7bFqEW_x_fo. If you have a water storage tank please give us a call to get a free inspection or cleaning quote. Our toll-free number is: 1-888-481-1768, in the DFW area call: 817-377-4899 or e-mail Robert at perrinsales@gmail.com.
Since 1997 we have been inspecting and cleaning potable water storage tanks and towers. Our crews take hundreds and often over a thousand photos a week. Of course, most are a little on the boring side documenting the inspection points of water tanks and towers. Occasionally we turn the cameras on ourselves as we do the work and those are the photos I use to promote our service.
Every time I see this photo I think about how it nails down what we do. I think it was the best of 2020. It is one of our divers cleaning a GST potable water storage facility. The tanks are always a lot cleaner when we are done, about half way through you can see a lot of sediment on the floor and less that perfectly clear water, it is a real working photo, not something produced in perfect pool water conditions.
Here are some other photos I found to be impressive in 2020 I hope you like them too.
Our goal is to get people thinking about their water, and allow utility officials to understand the choices they have when it comes to inspecting and cleaning potable water storage tanks and towers.
Since 1997 Ron Perrin Water Technologies, Inc. has been a leader in the inspection and cleaning of potable water storage tanks and towers. We are based out of Fort Worth, Texas with personnel that also call Houston home.
We work in over a dozen states with the bulk of our customers located in Texas. We offer the most information for the lowest possible cost. Our most popular inspection uses a remote underwater camera. With this close look below the waterline we are able to give our customers a first hand look at their water storage facilities with no disruption in service.
For a free quote call 817-377-4899, use the free quote form on the right side of this blog or e-mail a list of your tanks to perrinsales@gmail.com.
Ron Perrin Water Technologies, Inc. may also be reached toll free at: 1-888-481-1768
water tank inspection camera (C) 2010 Ron Perrin Water Technologies
In addition to our remote camera inspection we also offer a Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) inspection and for the most detail our potable water diver crew is available.
DEEP TREKKER ROV (c) 2014 Ron Perrin
All of our inspections cover all AWWA and State inspection requirements documented with photos of each inspection point a video that covers the exterior and interior roof and underwater areas. The remote underwater camera also called a drop camera inspection is a excellent inspection tool for smaller and mid-sized water storage facilities. The ROV is useful when specific areas need to be looked at or to get to the rear of larger facilities.
The dive crew may be the best choice if a more detailed report is needed or if additional work is needed such as tank cleaning or leek repair. We have a new service that was developed exclusively for standpipe type water storage tanks. Standpipe tanks have deeper water than most other tanks making it extremely hazardous for divers. Our cleaning robot offers a unique way to remove sediment and allow your tank to stay in-service. See our other blog post for more information and photos.
Ron Perrin Potable Water Diver Photo (c) 2020 RonPerrin.us
Pricing is quick and free, simply give us a call toll free at 1-888-481-1768. If you prefer using a fax just fax a list of your tanks to 817-246-1740. Be sure to include exactly what type of inspection you would like us to quote. We will need to know the gallon size of the tanks and if they are GST, EST, clear-wells (underground) or standpipe type.
If you prefer to email your request send it to perrinsales@gmail.com.
Here are a few things to consider when shopping for a contractor to perform work in a potable water storage tank.
Look for a specialist
Check photos on their web site
Check references
Require an insurance certificate
Proper training for employees performing work
Specialist: We live in an age of specialist. As a rule Specialist know their topic inside and out. When contracting a company to enter your potable water system it is better to deal with a contractor who is focused on entering potable water systems. Companies who do nothing but service potable water systems are more likely to have equipment only used in potable water system. Specialist in potable water work are also more likely to have disinfection procedures and a disinfection solution that meets AWWA standards. When it is your business to do it you are just more likely to do it right.
Photos: No matter what you see on advertisements, or told on the phone, a quick check of a companie’s web site can quickly show you what their focus is on. Many diving contractors are simply focused on Diving. Potable water diving may just be one of the things on their long list of things they do to make money diving. If the photos on their web sight show diving in lakes, rivers, and streams you need to trust them to somehow clean their equipment enough to enter your water system. Like they say, a photo is worth a million words. Some contractors say they have reserved equipment they only use in potable water. However, the photos on their own web site may show they actually use the same gear to do all diving services. If you can find a company that specializes in potable water diving, the photos on their web site should confirm that claim, not dispute it.
References: If a company has been working for more than a week or two, they should have references. Ask for a list of customers that you may be allowed to contact. Another way to check references is by looking at their company Facebook page, or the owner’s linked-in page.
Insurance: Ask for a certificate of insurance sent from the companies insurance agent. Do not accept a certificate sent directly from the contractor. It is just too easy to change dates or fabricate the certificate from scratch. Make sure the contractor has Liability, workers comp and commercial auto. While they are all important, the workers comp may be the most difficult and expensive for the contractor to acquire. Climbing and diving into potable water storage tanks and towers is “high risk contracting” by any measure. If an accident occurs, and the contractor is not covered by his own workers compensation insurance, the customer will be liable for the injured employee.
Training: High risk contracting may only be done safely if the contractor has required before employment, or taken the time to send each and every employee on the job site proper training. The majority, if not all diving contractors, require that divers have diving certifications before employment is offered. Beyond dive training, employees should also have documentation showing they have had both Confined Space and Fall Protection training.
Photo: Len Pardee is the Lead Tank Inspector for Ron Perrin Water Technologies. Len has a degree in Environmental Engineering from Syracuse University. He is retired from the USEPA where he served for 34 years. Among other posts while at the USEPA, Len was the Chief of the Region 6 Water Division for several years.
At Ron Perrin Water Technologies we take time to make sure the inspectors we send out to perform inspections have the right gear, insurance coverage and training to safely do your inspection or cleaning both efficiently and safely. By using a state-of-the-art under- water video camera and lighting system, we are able to collect all the information we need to produce your inspection report while the tank remains in-service. In addition to the underwater video, our reports also feature dozens of high quality digital photos covering all AWWA inspection points. Our innovative inspection methods have been refined by Ron Perrin since 1997 and are featured in a class he instructs for the Environmental Training Institute at UT Arlington. Information on the course may be found at the ETI Website See WTR308 Water Tank Inspection Techniques
For more information see www.rpwt.us. For a water tank inspection or cleaning quote call Debi at 817-377-4899 or e-mail tankinspections@aol.com.
I write a lot about inspecting and cleaning water storage tanks. My focus is on tanks that store potable water, or more simply, municipal drinking water. To understand why this is so important you need to understand how water systems work. The water we drink comes from lakes, rivers, streams or water wells and is also known as ground water.
It is then processed at a water treatment plant, smaller. Systems on well water may simply inject chlorine into the water as it goes into a storage tank. The larger systems that most of us are on filter and process the water to perfection then send it out into the distribution system where it waits in water storage tanks and towers until it is needed.
The water storage tanks and towers serve two critical functions, they allow enough water to be at the ready so it is always available to us, the end user; it provides enough water pressure to not only get it to your tap, but also keep it safe. The positive water pressure insures that contaminants will not enter the system. If there is a line break the system will lose water, the break or leak also allows contaminants to be sucked in.
Any time pressure can not be maintained for any reason the system is at risk and will issue a boil water advisory or order to protectpublic health. The water storage tanks and towers you see around town are the last stop water makes before being served at your tap. Water storage tanks on the ground are known as Ground Storage Tanks or GSTs, Water Towers are referred to as Elevated Storage Tanks or ESTs. These facilities have a life span of 30 to over 100 years if properly maintained.
Over time sediment builds up on the floor of GST, and EST, storage facilities. One particle at a time over several years and sometimes over several decades, sediment levels can continue to grow. The soft sediment can become a nutrient rich habitat that according to the USEPA can support bacteria, protozoa and even viruses. Sediment can also offer a safe harbor from treatment chemicals. As the sediment grows, more and more chemicals are used in an attempt to meet water quality standards set by the USEPA and enforced by state health or environmental agencies.
This is why an annualinspection of water storage tanks and towers is so important you can not make plans to fix a problem unless you know you have the problem in the first place.
Inspection contractors often use underwater cameras to get a look at the interior conditions of the facility. This can be done while the facility remains in service and full of water. If the tank is found to have sediment potable water divers can be contracted to clean the water tank with minimal water loss. Removing the layer of sediment on the floor along with all contaminants that may be living in it, this quickly restores the facility to the point that much less chlorine is needed to maintain water quality standards.
About our company:
Since 1997 Ron Perrin Water Technologies has been a leader in the inspection and cleaning of potable water storage tanks while they remain In-Service. Our company is located near Fort Worth, Texas in the DFW area. We serve Texas and fourteen other states including Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Kentucky and Florida. Of course, we inspect more tanks in our home state of Texas than any other state.
We offer three types of underwater in-service tank inspections to better meet your needs: 1) Remote Underwater Camera. Our underwater remote video camera and lighting system is our most popular and economical inspection method. This allows you to see underwater conditions and get a good look at the floor of the facility. 2) Remotely Operated Vehicle or (ROV). The ROV water tank inspection is the right choice for larger tanks, the ROV is equipped with motors and is able to swim to the far side of the tank for a better look. 3) Diver Inspection. Potable Water Divers are dressed out in dry suits and washed down with a chlorine solution to meet AWWA and EPA standards. The diver is a good choice when you want to get a good look at a specific spot in the tank. Our most common diver inspection follows our tank cleaning service. Divers cover the floor of the tank and any problem areas they may see using a high resolution camera and underwater lighting system this is our best inspection and it is free with each tank cleaning.
A former Texas Master Peace officer (1984-2006), Ron Perrin was an avid scuba diver and dove his first water storage tank in 1992. Forming two separate companies with fellow police officers, Ron became the Director of Operations for U.S. Underwater Services in 1995. In 1997, Ron established Ron Perrin Water Technologies.
Ron Perrin Water Technologies inspects over 800 water storage tanks a year. The methods Ron has developed to inspect and clean potable water storage tanks and towers have saved millions of gallons of treated drinking water and have improved the quality in hundreds of water systems. In 2013, Ron Perrin became an OSHA outreach trainer and is currently an authorized construction trainer.
In 2015 Ron was contracted by the Environmental Training Institute at the University of Texas at Arlington to develop a training program to safely inspect water storage tanks. WTR 308 Water Storage Inspection Techniques was offered for the first time in the 2015 summer catalog. One of the techniques is the proper use of remote underwater cameras and Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROV) to inspect water storage tanks and towers.
Since 2011 I have served on the Educational Advisory Board for The Ocean Corporation commercial diver and ROV educational program.
And last, if you are tasked with inspecting a water storage tank and are not allowed or do not have funds for an inspection contractor click here to see our post on HOW TO INSPECT YOUR OWN WATER STORAGE TANK:
Tankdiver.us 