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Southlake, Tx 76092

Ph: (817) 875-8695

Fax: (817) 416-2303
www.IPSensing.com
Info@IPSensing.com

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Vacuum Sewer Monitoring System

Peak Demand Management
The purpose of this document is to introduce the IP Sensing Vacuum Sewer Monitoring System’s ability to perform
Peak Demand Management and Pollution Control of a vacuum sewer collection system by using a method of Surge
Flow Management to eliminate waterlogged sewer mains, whereby maximizing utility capacity of the system and
decreasing Sanitary Sewer Overflows (SSOs).

Excessive sewage surge flow can waterlog a sewer main and cause it to lose vacuum pressure even while its vacuum
station is operating properly. At times of vacuum loss, only the airtight and watertight integrity of the waterlogged
sewer mains are preventing sewage from leaking into the groundwater. While vacuum sewer system components
are sized according to Peak Factor tables based on Ten State Standard Formulas or other regulations, the
formulas are still just design estimates and do not account for all situations of sewage surge flow, e.g., special
community events or storm water infiltration. Surge Flow Management is the process of controlling the rate of
sewage entering sewer mains to enable more surge flow situations to fit these estimations and provide pollution control
by decreasing SS0s. By monitoring the Valve Pits and monitoring the sewer main air-to-liquid ratio at selected sewer
main lift points, the Surge Flow Management methods determine when to evacuate a sewage sump at the Valve Pit.

Surge Flow Management is needed when a system experiences sewage surge flows during peak-periods or heavy
water infiltration and inflow (“I&I”), e.g., rain storms. A symptom of an overloaded sewer main is a low vacuum level or
loss of vacuum at the Valve Pits. When vacuum levels decrease at the pits, there is a corresponding decrease in
the Air-to-Liquid Ratio (“A/L”) of sewage entering the sewer mains. This is due to the lower vacuum levels
causing slower sump evacuation times, whereby lowering the A/L. Lowering the A/L leads to more liquid than air in
the sewer mains and waterlogging the sewer main. This process feeds on itself by causing the vacuum to drop more
and decreasing the A/L even more. In other words, the system can be working perfectly fine and having sufficient
capacity until a sudden sewage surge flow waterlogs a sewer main and stops or slows the flow through the
sewer main causing system inoperability and the release of sewage into the environment via sewer main leaks.

Most water and wastewater systems can recover from a surge flow situation over time, but a vacuum sewer system
may not recover on its own. This is due to the finite 13 feet of sewage lift available by the vacuum station not being
able to move a waterlogged sewer main having more than 13 feet of sewage backup. In other words, once sewage
backup has exceeded 13 feet of lift, the system is stalled.

Designing a new system or upgrading an existing system to have a massive amount of extra capacity to handle
irregular high surge flows is very inefficient and expensive; therefore, controlling the surge flow input of sewage into the
sewer mains is the most efficient and cost effective solution. Surge Flow Management is less than 2% the cost of
adding capacity, i.e., adding buffer tanks or increasing sewer main capacity.

How is it done? Surge Flow Management uses two very simple methods. First, the Pit-Bull Radio delays sewage
sump evacuations until vacuum levels have recovered or a full-sump override of 30 gallons is detected; thereby adding
an additional 20 gallon buffer at each Valve Pit since a typical valve controller evacuates the sump at a 10 gallon level.
Second, the Pit-Bull Radio will automatically inject air into a sewer main when a waterlogged condition is detected at
the Valve Pit or sewer main using a Sawtooth Lift Kit. (Please review the “Sawtooth Lift Kit” for monitoring sewer mains
at www.IPSensing.com/VSSLiftKit.pdf). In each case, an alert notification of the condition is sent to the main office.

Vacuum sewer system malfunction and environmental impacts associated with waterlogged sewer mains due to
sewage surge flow can be greatly decreased by controlling the release of sewage into the sewer mains using Surge
Flow Management valve controllers at the valve pits and providing an alert notification of compromised sewer mains
integrity using the Pit-Bull Radio Network. The Pit-Bull Radio, Sensor Modules, and Vacuum Valve Actuators have
replaceable 10-year life batteries making the Pit-Bull Radio Network and Surge Flow Management equipment virtually
maintenance-free for the life of the system and provide satisfaction all the way to the end user.

IP Sensing, Inc. “Surge Flow ManagementTM” Patent Pending © IP Sensing, Inc., 2010. Pg. 1 of 1, 4/28/2010