The UK’s biggest water and wastewater services provider is using a tanker designed for use by the military and United Nations relief teams to help keep its sewers running smoothly and protect the environment.
The JHL recycling jet vac tanker is being used by Thames Water to access remote sewers and culverts across the most difficult terrain – helping to prevent pollutions in more isolated locations.
Many hard-to-reach sewers run underneath farmland or in remote fields. The new tanker has enhanced ground clearance plus eight-wheel drive, meaning it can transport operational teams across fields efficiently.
Chris Wood, the vehicle’s main driver, said:
“This is an extraordinary piece of kit. It makes our off-road work much more productive and allows us to react more quickly to potential pollution incidents.
“Importantly, because I can drive right up to a manhole wherever it is, and vacuum blockage material from the sewer, we don’t have to send in a confined space team which is a major safety boost. “
One of the more notable jobs it has been used on was in Long Hanborough in West Oxfordshire, where the vehicle had to cross 1,000 metres of churned-up farm and construction land to carry out a large sewer clean.
Two engineers have undergone specialist training to be able to drive the tanker, teaching them expert skills for tricky terrains, and to ensure all off-road hazards are at the forefront of their mind.
Thames Water recently submitted its £10.9 billion business plan for 2020-25, which includes a commitment to reduce pollution by 30 per cent.
the UK’s biggest water and wastewater services provider
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