Sewage spill yuk....

[parrotheaddiver]

I found this news bit in my email from Austin Scuba Club. I'll stick to sport diving.


Malfunction Causes Sewage Spill in Texas


Thursday April 1, 2004 6:46 am

IRVING, Texas (AP) - A malfunction at a north Texas water treatment
plant Wednesday caused tens of millions of gallons of raw sewage to
bubble up from manholes, form pools in low-lying areas and flow into
the Trinity River.

Officials said a gate that covers a pipeline leading into the River
Authority's waste water treatment plant broke Wednesday morning and
blocked the flow of sewage.

An estimated 50 million to 70 million gallons of black liquid flowed
into the Trinity River and covered parts of the Twin Wells Golf Course
in Irving, just west of Dallas.

Authority officials said divers went underwater to fix the problem,
and the sewage flow was switched to another pipe by afternoon...





This is the operation that dived the sewage and unblocked the gate:

http://www.usunderwaterservices.com/

Is there a special certification to get for such a dive?

 

[d33ps1x]

Brave and hardy commercial divers.

 

[Debraw]

I saw that guy on the news and he showed the dry suit and full head gear he used to dive into it. He said they had to feel around to fix the problem. He did say they get paid well for a job like that. I wonder how much they get paid?

 

[pipedope]

For a commercial diving company like US Underwater Services.
In fact there is an article on them and contaminated water diving in the Jan/Feb 2004 Underwater magazine.

Sewage is not the worst thing to dive in, but you do need to be prepaired. Full dry suit and dry gloves, helmet yoked to the suit, dual exhaust valves, all your shots up to date, decon station ready to wash down the diver, etc..

Note, slick dry suits are used as any cloth is much harder to clean and will retain smell forever. :11:

 

[Phazeshyft]

I think anyone who has dove Lake Whitney should be in line to dive that sludge. Whitney is pretty close to that, black and very stinky.

 

[archman]

Sewage is not the worst thing to dive in, but you do need to be prepaired.

What's worse than diving in raw sewage?

 

[GeekDiver]

I can tell you whats worse,

My Bro-Inlaw works for a waste water plant. Last year they had replaced a valve and as plant operator he had to inspect it. The valve burst and soaked him. He got completely covered, he had on his street cloths and some coveralls, no enviromentaly sealed suit here, it got in his eyes, nose and even down his mouth. He has been out of work and sick for several months now.

 

[archman]

Er, is there a major difference between wastewater and raw sewage? At least wastewater has the possibility of being somewhat along a purification process. Raw sewage is always well... raw.

 

[pipedope]

Corrosive brine, lots of different chemical tanks.
Think about diving the plane crash down by Miami a few years back, hot, swamp with critters and no vis and jet fuel that destroys your dry suits.

How about the primary cooling system of nuclear reactor plants? There you use a slick suit and a METAL helmet (usually the Desco air pot) because fiberglass helmets will absorb enough radioactive material that the cannot be allowed to leave the plant. I don't like the idea of leaving $4000 hat behind. On top of that most of the time the water is so hot that you will overheat without a cold water shroud over the dry suit.

One big problem with sewage and waste water treatment plants is that if you get exposed, you get a dose of *everything* that anybody has in the community. The only other place so dangerous is the hospital.

With the right training, gear, procedures and insurance, it is not so bad.

 

[Phazeshyft]

Fecal Coli can cause so many problems its not funny, not to mention the bacteria that even biologist have no idea about. Evolution can be observed there.