Camera and Sonde Locator Used to Trace Waterlines

Camera and Sonde Locator Used to Trace Waterlines

Camera and sonde locator used to trace waterlines

Problem: Saltillo Water in Mexico has 24-inch plastic waterlines, which were buried with no tracer wire. The utility was not able to locate any maps or records detailing where these plastic water pipes were buried. Saltillo Water did know that the majority of their lines would be buried under asphalt in the streets.

Solution: The local Vivax-Metrotech distributor, Commercial Gepsa S.A. DE C.V., took a trip to visit the customer, bringing a vLoc3-Cam sonde locator and vCamMX-2 mini inspection camera. The customer dug 5 feet down to the buried water pipe to install a 3-inch saddle, which would allow the camera head and pushrod to enter the pressurized line without water escaping. With the camera in the plastic pipe, the 512 Hz sonde was activated and quickly picked up on the surface with the sonde locator. Working in 10-foot increments, they were able to locate the direction and depth of the buried pressurized plastic water pipe. On other locate runs, they simply pushed 50 feet of pushrod into the waterline, then connected a portable utility locator transmitter to the camera reel, allowing them to trace the entire length of pushrod underground in the pipe.

Result: Together with the receiver in sonde mode and the mini camera, technicians were able to pinpoint with accuracy the location and depth of cover of the buried plastic water pipe. 800-446-3392; www.vivax-metrotech.com.



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