Sensors Coming To Local Sewer Pipes
Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) Commissioner Carter Strickland announced the installation of monitoring sensors on 21 manhole covers throughout the city, technology that will alert DEP to elevated flow levels in sewer pipes and allow staff to perform inspections and preventative maintenance.
The equipment is installed on the underside of manhole covers and uses sensors to measure the flow level in the sewer pipe below the roadway. To test the effectiveness of the monitoring technology, DEP is conducting a pilot program with 11 installations in Queens, five in Brooklyn, and five in Staten Island. The DEP will expand the pilot with an additional 20 installations by spring 2013.
The monitoring technology represents a $300,000 capital investment in optimizing the performance of the city’s sewer infrastructure and is part of DEP’s overall effort to incorporate Geographic Information System (GIS) technology and predictive tools into the sewer maintenance and repair program.
