FAQ
Straight answers from over 45 years of digester, lagoon and biosolids work.
Regularly, not just when it's out of service or close to it. USRS has long recommended scheduled cleaning so grit, rags and settled solids don't steadily cut active volume. Many cities use long-term maintenance contracts to keep digesters on a regular schedule.
USRS helped set up some of the first long-term digester cleaning maintenance contracts with cities. Three- and five-year contracts keep your digesters maintained on a regular basis, with the lower pricing that's only available on multi-year terms.
We developed our own equipment and method for cleaning digesters to be as fast, safe and efficient as possible. That efficiency is how our cleaning and biosolids processing usually comes in at or below projected or budgeted costs.
Yes. We dredge lagoons and ponds of any size, from about three feet deep to twenty. Our dredges have power auger heads and submerged pumps rather than simple floating pumps, so they clean the bottom evenly while pumping high solids content. We run both diesel and electric dredges.
We can remove all the material from the pond, inspect and repair the bottom, re-grade it to the original specifications, and dispose of the removed sludge.
Our mobile belt presses range from 1-meter units for smaller jobs to 2.2-meter units for larger projects. In most cases they can be rented with or without operators, on short- or long-term rentals and leases.
We screen it. As sludge is pumped through our screen, rags, plastics and debris are removed by a power auger, without adding wash water, so the cleaned sludge keeps a higher solids content. It's then ready for drying beds, tankers, dewatering or land application, and the debris goes to drop boxes or the landfill.
For digesters: tank type and dimensions, number and size of manholes and side openings, available 3-phase 460/480 V amps, water supply and PSI, blanket and sediment depth, and disposal plans. Our information forms list everything.
Our dredges, pumps, screens and presses run on site power and water. If you're not sure of your available amps, ask your electrician or call us. It matters for planning.
Yes. We buy surplus dewatering equipment from agencies and cities, and we regularly have surplus equipment for sale. Use the equipment form.
In all 50 states. We're headquartered in Cheshire, Oregon, and all of our equipment is mobile.
Over 45 years, with zero OSHA recordables in company history.
Talk directly with the people who run the job.