Stormwater Grate Inlet Survey Preparation and Best Practices
Review the Tools and Conceptual Procedures to Conduct an Efficient Inlet Survey
All Fabco Industries Water Quality Inserts (WQIs) are manufactured to properly fit inlets by using specific information compiled in a survey of the “as-built” inlet. The Fabco Grate/Inlet Survey form serves as the tool to provide that information.
Survey Preparation and Best Practices
Recommended Stormwater Grate Inlet Survey Accessories
Camera
Photo documentation helps our engineers a ton when designing units for inlets with unique shapes, sizes or protrusions. Having a camera in the field is an extremely valuable tool. You don’t even need anything fancy, as now pretty much everyone is equipped with a great camera in their pockets at all times thanks to modern smart phones!
Rulers
The most important part of the grate inlet survey is gathering the measurements of the inlet and any protrusions that might cause an issue when selecting or designing a unit to fit perfectly.
Oil Pen
When surveying multiple inlets for one job, using an oil pen sharpie marker to physically mark your inlets can be extremely useful. Not only does it help our engineers match up the photos you send them to the appropriate survey, it also helps the installation team know they are working in the right spot when it comes time to put the units in the ground.
Wire Brush
Stormwater inlets are rarely in mint condition when you show up to a survey site. Make sure you have a wire brush or something similar to help you clean the edges of the grate frame before recording any measurements to ensure you’re getting the most accurate information for our engineers.
Lifting Mechanism
Stormwater inlet grates are heavy! Use caution when lifting the grate from the inlet before recording your measurements. A crowbar or lifting hooks can assist you with removing the grate without injuring yourself or a member of your crew.
Recording Catch Basin ID Numbers
Each catch basin should be assigned a unique ID number. Sometimes the numbers will coordinate with a site drawing, while on some projects, especially retrofits, the surveyor just assigned numbers in numerical order. The catch basin ID numbers provide guidance as to which unit is which, helps match survey images with submitted survey sheets, and provides guidance to installation crews for unit placement. A comprehensive ID practice will include the following:
Use a small erasable whiteboard to identify catch basin ID numbers in photos. A legal pad or other paper can also work if you don’t have a whiteboard on hand. Adding the four side numbers also helps orient the photo to the survey forms.
An oil based marker will allow for marking the grate with the catch basin ID number to allow for easy identification of the catch basin at the time of installation.
Photo documenation of the inlet, especially those with protrusions or irregular characteristics, is a vital part of a comprehensive survey. Please make sure to have and use a camera of some kind.