Is FOG Getting too Much Blame for Sewer Blockages?

Based on EEC's extensive fats, oils, and grease (FOG) control and sewer system assessment experience, EEC's President, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it   This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , was asked by Trenchless Technology Magazine to author an article summarizing many of the FOG control studies conducted by EEC over the past 7 years. The article candidly discusses the tendency that many sewering agencies have to blame a large percentage of their sewer blockages and sanitary sewer overflows (SSOs) on FOG. However, EEC has discovered that most sewer blockages related to FOG involve other issues that are often not properly assessed, leading to increased long-term maintenance costs and slower reductions in SSOs.

If you have any questions related to the article or EEC's FOG control studies or sewer assessment services, please contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Featured Projects

Database Design, Development, Implementation, and Utilization

Industry: Municipal Wastewater

 

EEC has created databases for 10 different sewer agencies in Southern California to help these agencies manage large amounts of data for their fats, oils, and grease (FOG) programs. These databases store comprehensive lists of food service establishments (FSE) located inside the agencies' service areas. Data regarding FSE compliance history, grease removal device status, and influence on accelerated sewer line maintenance and sanitary sewer overflows (SSOs) is stored in the databases. All data is query-able and displayable in a geographic information system (GIS) user interface.

 

Project Highlights
  • Central database to manage grease removal device status, inspection histories, photos, and notices of non-compliance
  • Powerful tools to analyze SSOs and accelerated line maintenance locations
  • Advanced reporting capabilities
  • Compliance with sewer system maintenance plan (SSMP)
  • Seamless GIS integration, including the ability to query data directly from a GIS interface

Wastewater Work Order and Asset Management System

Industry: Municipal Wastewater

 

EEC is currently developing a work and asset-management system for Costa Mesa Sanitary District (CMSD). The computerized maintenance management system (CMMS) at the heart of the system is Azteca Systems’ CityWorks. The system is being developed in conjunction with an EEC-designed geographic information system (GIS), using Esri’s ArcGIS. The GIS and CMMS will be seamlessly integrated and will revolutionize the way CMSD manages day-to-day operations and plans for the effective use of its wastewater collection system.

 

Project Highlights
  • State-of-the-art CMMS utilizing CityWorks technology
  • Seamless integration with existing wastewater collection network GIS based on industry standard data models
  • Full integration with Esri’s ArcGIS platform
  • Foundation for future system expansion that includes mobile, web, and modeling technologies


 

Water/Wastewater GIS Data Development and Conversion

Industry: Water Resources

 

EEC has been providing GIS services to the City of Santa Ana’s Water Resources Division since 2004. EEC developed a database and data entry procedure that transferred data from old water service index cards to digital data, complete with GIS representations. The partially automated database and data entry process made it possible to quickly enter information, reducing the time needed to enter tens of thousands of records. This water service data can now be queried in the GIS. EEC has also assisted Santa Ana in creating GIS feature classes based on existing tabular data. EEC has developed two methods for creating water or sewer laterals feature classes. These methods have a significant amount of automation which reduces the manual effort necessary to create service laterals.

 

Project Highlights
  • On-site GIS support
  • Geodatabase editing
  • Feature class development automation
  • Map document development
  • Software implementation and update
  • Graphical user interface development
  • Customized tool development
  • Massive data migrations



Wastewater Network GIS for Data Analysis

Industry: Municipal Wastewater

 

EEC was retained by the Costa Mesa Sanitary District (CMSD) to develop a GIS for the District's entire sanitary sewer network. CMSD had massive amounts of data on paper and was finding it increasingly difficult to adequately update and utilize this data. To help the agency better utilize its data, EEC developed a GIS based on drawings, construction plans, CMSD staff knowledge, and aerial photography. EEC then transferred data from cumbersome paper documents into the GIS, providing a query-able, map-driven, automated data analysis tool. With a scalable system in place, CMSD can more efficiently analyze its data in real time.

 

Project Highlights
  • Utilization of free online services to accommodate GIS creation
  • Data migration automation
  • Software implementation and update
  • Graphical user interface development
  • Customized tool development
  • Query-able data directly from GIS interface
  • Query-able information product development
  • Google Earth deployment



  • Database Creation

  • Asset Management

  • GIS Development

  • Wastewater Network

Featured Projects - Shadow Padding

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