© AquaShield
TM
, Inc. 2016. All rights reserved.
Inspection
The Aqua-Swirl
®
can be inspected from the surface, eliminating the need to enter the system to
determine when cleanout should be performed. In most cases, AquaShield
TM
recommends a
quarterly inspection for the first year of operation to develop an appropriate schedule of
maintenance. Based on experience of the system’s first year in operation, we recommend that the
inspection schedule be revised to reflect the site-specific conditions encountered. Typically, the
inspection schedule for subsequent years is reduced to semi-annual inspection.
Maintenance
The Aqua-Swirl
®
has been designed to minimize and simplify the inspection and maintenance
process. The single chamber system can be inspected and maintained entirely from the surface
thereby eliminating the need for confined space entry. Furthermore, the entire structure
(specifically, the floor) is accessible for visual inspection from the surface. There are no areas of
the structure that are blocked from visual inspection or periodic cleaning. Inspection of any free-
floating oil and floatable debris can be directly observed and maintained through the manhole
access provided directly over the swirl chamber.
Aqua-Swirl
®
Inspection Procedure
To inspect the Aqua-Swirl
®
, a hook is typically needed to remove the manhole cover.
AquaShield
TM
provides a customized manhole cover with our distinctive logo to make it easy for
maintenance crews to locate the system in the field. We also provide a permanent metal
information plate affixed inside the access riser which provides our contact information, the
Aqua-Swirl
®
model size, and serial number.
The only tools needed to inspect the Aqua-Swirl
®
system are a flashlight and a measuring device
such as a stadia rod or pole. Given the easy and direct accessibility provided, floating oil and
debris can be observed directly from the surface. Sediment depths can easily be determined by
lowering a measuring device to the top of the sediment pile and to the surface of the water.
It should be noted that in order to avoid underestimating the volume of sediment in the chamber,
the measuring device must be carefully lowered to the
top
of the sediment pile. Keep in mind
that the finer sediment at the top of the pile may offer less resistance to the measuring device
than the larger particles which typically occur deeper within the sediment pile.
The Aqua-Swirl
®
design allows for the sediment to accumulate in a semi-conical fashion as
illustrated below. That is, the depth to sediment as measured below the water surface may be less
in the center of the swirl chamber; and likewise, may be greater at the edges of the swirl
chamber.
