How do you maintain a waste water flow meter? Date: 02/05/19 | In: Water Meters Once installed, it’s imperative that waste water flow meters are maintained properly to ensure they continue to record data accurately and have long life. A well looked after flow meter can still be working 25 years later. We caught up with sales engineer, Olly Harrison, to ask him: ‘how do you maintain a waste water flow meter?’ Preparation “Preparation is key to good maintenance. First of all, consider what specifics will be required to maintain the water flow meter. Will you need to check the calibration? Will the battery have to be swapped regularly? Are there any hydraulic issues to consider? Is it reactive or routine maintenance that is expected? “During the preparation stage think about any other flow meters on the route or in close proximity that require maintenance. Pre-planning an efficient geographical route to deliver a full maintenance schedule will not only save time but money in the long run. “When planning the maintenance schedule, its important to ensure that all the necessary equipment is ready and prepared. At the same time as checking the equipment, it’s the ideal time to arrange any traffic notices or permits that may be required. If there are any special requirements you should contact the site manager to arrange a suitable date and time to visit the site – don’t just turn up expecting to complete the maintenance whenever you choose! Maintenance “Once all the preparation elements outlined above have been completed, the maintenance stage can then be successfully delivered. We have a number of mandatory processes our site engineers go through when completing waste water flow meter maintenance as outlined below: Assess site condition including weather, traffic etc. If safe to do so, sign, light and guard the working area Lift manhole lid and inspect for safe conditions Remove flow meter from bracket and connect to software Assess ‘live readings’ for work required Carry out any required maintenance e.g. swap battery Set up confined space equipment if required and safe to do so ‘Top Man’ to record gas readings and record details on maintenance record ‘Bottom man’ to enter the chamber to manually measure depth/ velocity and relay to ‘top man’ ‘Top man’ to compare manual readings against the monitor and calibrate if required When measurements are confirmed accurate ‘Bottom man’ to exit the chamber ‘Top man’ to make sure the meter is configured and recording correctly Remove all tools and equipment from site Make sure site is tidy before you leave “Regular, professional maintenance of water flow meters is a must to ensure they are working properly and efficiently. Maintenance work is a routine, weekly task for the on-site services team here at Detectronic as we look after thousands of water flow meters for clients across the UK and Europe. So, if you have any questions relating to how do you maintain a waste water flow meter, please just ask, we’re the experts!”