The conversion of a van into Toowoomba City Council’s new pipeline inspection unit has meant considerable savings in time, labour and money. Council saves up to an hour a day by using a customised van that detects faults and defects in the City’s pipelines.
Savings were also made in the initial equipping of the unit as modification work was done inhouse. Council staff gathered design ideas from Brisbane City Council. Brisbane’s van fit out cost about $35,000 compared with just under $19,400 for Toowoomba’s inhouse modification.
Toowoomba’s Water and Sewerage Portfolio Chair, Councillor Joe Ramia, said the adapted unit is the culmination of months of work from numerous Council tradesmen, particularly in Technical Services.
“This office on wheels is 50 per cent bigger than its predecessor and contains an extended computer system, DVD burner and printer that allow faster transfer of information to other Council departments,” he said. “It also contains a built in generator, 140 metres of camera cable, an 80 litre water pump, a desk and storage space.”
Camera operator, David Carey, said the new van allows workers to pull up at a manhole jump out, turn on the generator and operate the camera.
“Because of the dual battery system the computer keeps running,” he said. “You haven’t got the down time of having to unload the generator and start up each time.”
The pipeline camera is capable of photographing pipes from 150 millimetres wide to one metre wide if necessary.
For further information contact Jenny Foxton, Toowoomba City Council, on (07) 4688 6646.
