Underground Construction - October 2020 - 40

2020 CAPABILITIES GUIDE
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Municipality puts Vacuum Excavator to Work
Vacuum excavators aren't just for utility contractors. Many city municipality
departments are also discovering the versatility of these powerful soft digging
machines for their own utility work, as well as many additional applications
to help city crews work efficiently. For example, in Webster City, Iowa, a
small rural community of just over 8,000 residents, their recently purchased
McLaughlin VX50 trailer vacuum excavator is being used for everything from
traditional potholing to digging holes at the city cemetery.
According to Webster City's electrical utility supervisor, Adam Dickinson,
the city is working on a multiyear initiative to move all of the city's electrical
lines below ground, and his crews are responsible for the bulk of the work.
"To support these efforts, we added a horizontal directional drill (HDD) to
our fleet as well as a vacuum excavator," Dickinson explained. "After a few
years working with our original system, we determined it was an appropriate
time to upgrade to the VX50 trailer vacuum excavator we have now. The first
system we had was fine, but this one better supports our needs, helps our
crews work safely, and is a bit more versatile than our previous one."

THE RIGHT CONFIGURATION
The municipality team's upgrades to their new trailer vacuum excavator
included reducing the size of the spoil tank and adding a hydraulic boom
to aid with the vacuum excavator hose. "We went with a 500-gallon
(1892.7-L) spoil tank on our vac, which was smaller than what we had
before, because transporting weight was becoming a bit of an issue for us,"
explained Dickinson.
The city's previous system also didn't have a hydraulic boom, and
according to Dickinson, this addition has been a real game changer.
"After owning a vacuum excavator with a hydraulic boom, I don't think
there is any way we would go back to one without it," he said. "The hydraulic
boom keeps our crew working efficiently throughout the day. Also, the
boom helps the operator stay cleaner."
One accessory that Dickinson did not get but plans to add in the future is a
hotbox that would allow his team to work with hot water to enhance digging

in frozen ground conditions. "When we got the vac, I didn't think we needed
it, but after going through one winter and being surprised by how often our
team or another city department used the system, it certainly would come in
handy in the colder months. We'll be adding it soon," he said.

MULTIPLE USES
Webster City primarily uses its vacuum excavator to expose existing buried
utilities before performing HDD work. It also supports the HDD crew as
they're suctioning up used drilling fluids. However, in addition to these
traditional applications, other municipality departments borrow the Vermeer
vac from time to time. "The street department has used it for cleaning out
intakes," said Dickinson. "When a water main breaks and there is an issue with
a pump keeping up, they bring in the vacuum excavator to do the job."
In addition to lending it out to other departments, Webster City's electrical
utility department enlists their vacuum excavator to aid with utility pole
replacement work. "Whether it's poles snapping off because of weather
or needing to be replaced at regular intervals, digging up a pole can be
a cumbersome process," explained Dickinson. "And if there are buried
utilities tying into a utility pole, it's even more challenging. With the vacuum
excavator, we can dig around a pole so we can pull it out of the ground
without affecting other buried lines, which is a real challenge with an
excavator or backhoe."
The most unique application that Dickinson has seen the city's vacuum
excavator used for is digging holes at the city-owned cemetery. "In recent
years, cremation and then burying the ashes at the cemetery has become
pretty common," he explained. "Since it gets pretty darn cold in Iowa, getting
below the frost line isn't easy - especially when a hole only needs to be 18
inches to 20 inches (45.7 cm to 50.8 cm) in diameter. The vacuum excavator
is designed to do that for potholing applications, so it made a lot of sense to
use it at the cemetery since we already have it in our fleet."
Dickinson estimates that 80% of the time his Vermeer vacuum excavator
is supporting the municipality's HDD efforts. The remaining 20% consists of
performing odd jobs around the city. One thing is for sure, though: As the
department has discovered new ways to use their vacuum excavator, there
isn't much idle time for their little unit - and that's precisely what every
municipality should hope for with their equipment fleet.
For more information about adding a vacuum excavator to your city or
company's fleet, contact your local Vermeer dealer or visit vermeermvs.com. *

This article contains third-party observations, advice or experiences that do not
necessarily reflect the opinions of McLaughlin Group, Inc. or its affiliates. Testimonials
and/or endorsements by customers in specific circumstances may not be
representative of normal circumstances experienced by all customers.
McLaughlin Group, Inc. reserves the right to make changes in engineering, design and
specifications; add improvements; or discontinue manufacturing at any time without
notice or obligation. Equipment shown is for illustrative purposes only and may display
optional accessories or components specific to their global region. Please contact your
local Vermeer dealer for more information on machine specifications.
Vermeer and the Vermeer logo are trademarks of Vermeer Manufacturing Company in
the U.S. and/or other countries. McLaughlin is a trademark of McLaughlin Group, Inc.
© 2020 McLaughlin Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

OCTOBER 2020 | UCONonline.com

Underground Construction - October 2020

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