Loving (and Living) Where You Work

By Vernon Schrock, Senior Field Technician

My most memorable project was an almost year-long sewer analysis project for the City of Bentonville, Arkansas, which included flow monitoring and 560 manhole inspections using 360-degree photos. Bentonville is growing at a rapid clip, adding about 10 new residents a day over the past four years. To help its sanitary sewer system keep up with this growth, the City initiated an analysis project to evaluate existing flows, including inflow and infiltration, in four of the City’s sanitary sewer basins. TREKK was part of the team leading this effort.

The unique part of the project was the ever-changing conditions of the city itself during this time. Neighborhoods were evolving with new buildings and businesses constantly moving in. As the area changed, so did the dynamic of the flow servicing the area we were monitoring.

TREKK conducted flow monitoring on sewer trunk lines with diameters of 12 inches or larger and collected rainfall data to determine a baseline capacity. We also installed 27 cellular enabled area-velocity monitors with visual data feeds and eight rain gauges in the basins to enhance model calibration and understanding of Rainfall Dependent Inflow and Infiltration (RDII). This helped the City understand dry weather flow conditions versus wet weather events, and the transitional effects between the two.

The project was expected to take a full year, but we successfully completed it in only nine months. We are excited to work with the City on the next phase of the project.

Personally, the best part of this project was working in Bentonville. The city is filled with beautiful parks, nature trails, culinary and shopping attractions and two world-class art and history museums, while still maintaining its small-town charm. I fell in love with Bentonville so much that I moved here, and I can’t wait to be part of its growth!