Operations: Maintain the City’s water distribution and sanitary sewer infrastructure that enables the City of West Palm Beach to distribute potable water to its customers and collect sewage discharge from them. Ensure an adequate supply of pretreated water is readily available with sufficient pressure to meet established health department standards, and ensure specific fire protection standards are met.

This Division provides operational maintenance and repair to the Water Distribution, Fire Protection and Wastewater Collection Systems. The Division also provides support activities to the Engineering Department, the Water Treatment Plant and the East Central Regional Wastewater Reclamation Facility.

Capacity: The O&M Division maintains approximately 600 miles of pressurized water and sanitary sewer mains and approximately 400 miles of gravity sanitary sewer mains. On an average day, they pump 29 million gallons of potable water to customers in the cities of West Palm Beach, the towns and Palm Beach and South Palm Beach as well as portions of Palm Beach County. The City is capable of producing 47 million gallons of potable water per day and processing 55 million gallons of wastewater, with capabilities soon to be increased to 70 million gallons of wastewater per day.

Section of Force Main removed to allow Vacon Truck to clear blockage

Vacon root cutter is inserted into the pipe, the blockage is located and dislodged. The work crew will then reseal the pipe, fill the excavation and re-pore the sidewalk.

Operations and Maintenance: The O&M Division has personnel on duty twenty-four hours per day, seven days a week, 365 days per year. They can also call-in additional crews to address any emergency that may occur in water or sewer lines.

Duties: Install new water and sewer services. Investigate and make necessary repairs to sewer mains, manholes and sanitary sewer service lines. Investigate and correct water quality complaints such as odor, rust, and bad taste.

Monitor and maintain the City's "Capacity, Management, Operation and Maintenance" (CMOM) program which tracks sanitary sewer flows, identifies sources of inflow and infiltration (I/I) to prevent Sanitary Sewer Overflows (SSO's,) and help plan for future system improvements

Locate and mark water and sewer services on city easements and roadways to prevent damage during excavation or construction by City personnel, private citizens or agencies in accordance with the State of Florida's Sunshine One Call Law. Develop and prioritize the City's water main replacement and sanitary sewer replacement / rehabilitation programs and monitor the projects generated from those programs.

Structure: The Operations & Maintenance Superintendent is responsible for the day-to-day operation of the department, budgeting and long range planning. The Department, under the Superintendent is structured in the following manner:

Water Distribution
On Call Crew - Responds to all water distribution/fire protection system related problems received by Dispatch.

Valve Crew - Exercises valves citywide for system maintenance; performs "dry runs" to isolate sections of system for internal maintenance work and project/contractual work, identifies consumers to be affected and distributes Boil Water/Lift Boil Water Notices before and after (clearance from City testing lab) work is completed.

Service Crews(4) - Install, repair, and maintain water distribution/fire protection system appurtenances including; mains, services, fire protection services, valves, fire hydrants, pressure and sample stations, and related roadway, sidewalk, and landscape replacement.

Locators: Leader receives Sunshine One Call Requests (approx. 100-130/day) and distributes copies to the pertinent City divisions. O&M Locators identify water distribution/fire protection, and sanitary sewer collection locations throughout the City's service area. Leader also submits requests to Sunshine One Call for work to be performed by the O&M Division.

Sanitary Collection

On Call Truck - Responds to all sanitary collection/force main system related problems received by Dispatch. Locates sanitary laterals and removes water meters pertinent to Release for Demolition request forms.

Air Release Valve (ARV) Truck Operators: Perform preventative maintenance on the City's sanitary sewer and water distribution ARV units. Operate force main valves as needed, and perform annual inspection of sanitary sewer and main aerial canal crossings.

CMOM Crew: Installs and relocates flow monitor devices throughout the gravity collection system. Downloads information from the devices, and identifies sources of inflow and infiltration (I&I) to prioritize rehabilitation work to remain in compliance with DEP regulations.

TV Crews (2): Perform televised inspections of sanitary sewer mains and laterals (services). Determine the location of blockages or identify the need for corrective work and, investigate liability claims received by Risk Management.

Vacon Trucks (2): Assist TV trucks, Cleaning Crew, and other O&M crews. Perform preventative maintenance cleaning of sanitary sewer gravity system and related manholes.

Cleaning Crew: Clean sanitary sewer gravity mains with the use of cable drawn brushes. Apply degreasers and root elimination chemicals to help maintain flow capacity.

Construction Crews (2): Install and repair all gravity and pressurized (force) sanitary sewer mains, laterals, valves, and manholes. Replace related roadway, sidewalk and landscape areas.