RedZone Robotics Launches System to Assess Manhole Conditions
May 11, 2021
RedZone Robotics, which provides wastewater asset management solutions and inspection automation, has launched Vertue, a multi-sensor inspection (MSI) tool for manhole inspections. The company is offering Vertue as a stand-alone product and service, or part of its Accelerated System Assessment Program (ASAP).
The Warrendale, Pa.-based company said manholes play a critical role in the overall utility network, providing access points to buried linear infrastructure. Having watertight manholes protects assets below the surface, creating a seal between above-ground contaminants and below-ground access points. RedZone said a key function of a manhole is the prevention of inflow from surface water or infiltration of groundwater through structural defects. Treatment of these excess flows is costly, and unnecessarily tests collection systems and capacity at treatment plants.
“With Vertue, utility operators are now able to capture full multi-sensor data, including 360-degree, high-definition imagery, laser and positioning of their manholes in a reliable way,” said Dave Petrosky, president and CEO of RedZone Robotics. “Utilities won’t need to go back and re-inspect due to poor lighting conditions or blurry images – they’re getting a true visual condition assessment every time. We’ve stress-tested Vertue out in the field, and the level of detail we’re able to produce in our interactive 3D models is better than anything out there on the market.”
RedZone said that in the U.S. alone, there are more than 20 million manholes that provide access to a network of 1.3 million miles of buried wastewater infrastructure. The majority of these manholes have already endured a service life of more than 50 years, and some even date back to the mid-19th century.
“If the manholes in a city’s network are in poor condition, this could lead to significant infiltration of clear water during wet weather events,” said Jeffrey Griffiths, vice president of sales and marketing at RedZone. “Infiltration causes significant issues as it results in additional treatment costs and has the potential to put a treatment plant over its design capacity, which may result in an overflow event.”
The company’s ASAP offering provides an accelerated approach to condition assessment across an entire collection system, enabling system owners to identify and prioritize the maintenance and repairs that are needed. The program not only addresses the most severe infrastructure issues, but also leverages nearly 100 million feet of inspections already assessed across hundreds of systems, and establishes a baseline condition for long-term asset management planning, RedZone said.
For more details on the Vertue system, visit the RedZone Robotics website.
