Underground Infrastructure - October 2023 - 39

with the manufacturer and create a nontoxic sealant/lubricant
that could be applied to manhole frames: Hercules Shutout
Manhole Lubricant and Sealant.
Shutout is a safe, job-site-ready solution compatible with
most manhole installations. It is designed to enhance existing
seals by filling voids and defects within the manhole
cover and seat.
The product creates a water barrier between surfaces, reducing
the likelihood of corrosion and lubricating the manhole
cover to allow for easier and safer removal. It is easy to
transport and requires no measurements or pre-planning.
It can be applied easily with minimal surface preparation.
(Oatey advises monitoring the inflow and reapplying Shutout,
as needed. Shutout is not compatible with revolutionary access
design and some t-gasket manhole installations.)
Another challenge, test
Recognizing
the
potential
of this
innovative
solution,
Keystone Consulting Engineers (KCE), an engineering firm
based in Allentown, Penn., decided to use the product with
its municipal clients. KCE represents many municipalities in
the Greater Lehigh Valley and Pocono Regions.
In Upper Macungie Township (UMT), Penn., the ongoing
challenge of managing I&I has been a top priority since
the 1990s. UMT has invested considerable time and resources
into identifying and rehabilitating sources of I&I. Despite
implementing various rehabilitation methods, such as inflow
dishes, lid/casting replacements, epoxy linings and pipe rehabilitation,
UMT continues to face peak-flow issues during
periods of intense rainfall.
In collaboration with its clients, who collectively own and
operate over 3,800 manholes, KCE designed an experiment
utilizing two " micro-basins " located in older and wetter areas
of UMT. One basin was designated for rehabilitation, while
the other served as the control. Each manhole and lateral in
these basins was equipped with temporary meters to monitor
the extent of I&I.
The study's results provided valuable insights into the
effectiveness of Hercules Shutout in reducing inflow during
heavy rainfall events. Initially, during the pre-rehab rainfall
on April 18-19, 2022, Allentown experienced approximately
1.7 inches of rain over 10 hours, with intermittent bouts of
intense rainfall during this period. Remarkably, the meters
indicated that both the control and rehab basins performed
similarly, highlighting the persistence of peak flow issues despite
previous rehabilitation efforts.
The true impact of Shutout became evident during the
post-rehab rainfall several weeks later. Over a span of 40
hours, on May 6-7, Allentown received around 2.6 inches
of rain, evenly distributed throughout this period. In this instance,
nine manholes were caulked with Hercules Shutout,
resulting in a significant reduction of peak flow, ranging
from 0.050 to 0.100 million gallons per day (mgd) or 3.9 to
7.7 gallons per minute (gpm) per manhole.
Encouraged by these positive results, KCE conducted
a hypothetical analysis to evaluate the potential benefits
Hercules Shutout could provide its clients on a larger scale.
Assuming only 10 percent of the 3,800 manholes experienced
significant inflow averaging 5 gpm, the overall reduction in
flow would amount to an impressive 1,900 gpm, or 2.74 mgd
during peak flow contributions.
The case study on the utilization of Hercules Shutout in
Upper Macungie Township underscores its efficacy in significantly
reducing inflow and infiltration. By addressing the
root cause of the problem and providing a durable and efficient
sealant, the solution has demonstrated its potential to
mitigate I&I-associated challenges.
This innovative solution not only contributes to the overall
resilience of the sewer system, but also helps prevent costly
overflow incidents, safeguarding both public health and
the environment. UI
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Tim Nichols is National Sales ManagerSpecialty
Divisions at Oatey Co.
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Oatey, 800-321-9532, oatey.com
UndergroundInfrastructure.com | OCTOBER 2023 39
http://www.oatey.com http://www.UndergroundInfrastructure.com
Underground Infrastructure - October 2023

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