Prairie State Wire

An inaugural training session on storm sewer cleaning, organized by IDOT’s Technology Transfer Center, was held in October 2024 at the Harry R. Hanley Building in Springfield. The event attracted participants from various local public agencies and representatives from IDOT.

Barry Kent, Technology Transfer Program Manager, commented on the event's success: “We had outstanding turnout for the inaugural Introduction to sewer cleaning training, with 50 attendees from 15 different local public agencies, along with representatives from IDOT.” He noted that the hands-on portion of the nozzle demonstration and sewer vacuum truck tutorial were particularly well-received.

The classroom component featured an introduction by Jake Dougherty of Brown Equipment Co., followed by training led by Rusty Nezat of Nezat Training and Consulting. The sessions focused on communication skills and detailed aspects of sewer cleaning such as production enhancement, cost reduction, and maintenance of high-pressure sewer hoses.

Safety concerns were emphasized throughout the training. Tim Peters, Local Policy and Technology Engineer, stated: “Sewer vacuum trucks are important tools that transportation agencies use to make roads safe.” He highlighted their role in clearing storm sewers but also pointed out their potential hazards.

Nezat advised participants on equipment maintenance and safety precautions related to pneumatic plugs. He stressed vigilance for hose damage signs like kinking or blistering and cautioned against over-pressurization issues with plugs.

The practical segment outside included demonstrations on jet hose repair using hydraulic machines and general sewer cleaning safety practices. Participants learned about personal protective equipment usage and saw visual demonstrations of nozzle applications through clear tubing simulating a sewer pipe.

Following this successful event, plans are underway to conduct similar training sessions in Chicago during spring.