Crystal Clear Operations

A burst pipe is enough of a headache for any homeowner. Dealing with a torn-up lawn left by city machinery in the aftermath of repairs can turn that headache into a migraine.

Likewise, responding to service needs can be just as challenging for water utility companies. The placement of service lines in hard-to-reach spaces of residents’ backyards can leave companies in hot water with bulky, rigid machinery or equipment that breaks down before they can get the job done.

Luckily for their 52,000 customers, Georgia’s Columbia County Water Utility understands that the best solution to managing and maintaining approximately 900 miles of water main and 650 miles of sanitary sewer system lies above the surface — namely in the form of sturdy, versatile equipment that is just as dependable as the employees who operate them.

Finessing the Footprint

For any jobsite, workable space is at a premium in terms of organizing equipment and mapping out where excavating takes place. For providers like Columbia County Water Utility, this priority increases tenfold when factoring in the tight spaces between and behind homes to reach service lines as well as narrow clearance when digging between water mains, cables, fibers and other utilities. To navigate such a complicated geography, the water company needs dexterous machinery that leaves an impression figuratively, not literally.

“When working in mature subdivisions and infrastructure that’s been in place for 20, 30, 40 years, obstacles can easily get in your way that weren’t there during the construction phase,” explained Mark Inglett, operations manager for Columbia County Water Utility. “Our backhoe proved to be a challenge because it was too big and bulky, and its rubber tires would leave big ruts everywhere it went.”

Seeking a more satisfactory solution, Columbia County Water Utility sought out compact equipment better suited for the work. Mini excavators were a clear choice, and they eventually landed on Yanmar’s ViO35 mini excavator due its zero-turn tail swing for better maneuverability in tight spaces. The results were immediate.

“Its zero turn saved us many times over,” Inglett said. “It has a light footprint in that you can get right up next to a tree, a mailbox, a corner post or anything that might be in the way. We don’t destroy landscaping and the homeowner’s yard to repair our water services.”

Tapping into New Solutions

Columbia County Water Utility’s initial investment with Yanmar turned into a 20-year plus relationship with an expanded fleet of nine mini excavators, including the ViO17, ViO35, ViO55, ViO75 and ViO80, and one Yanmar tracked carrier, the C50R-5. All the mini excavators feature Yanmar’s zero-turn tail swing to fit into tighter spaces.

Throughout his nearly 50 years of working for the county, Inglett knows well that the water business is a 24/7, 365-day job that involves maintaining the drinking water system, fixing leaks and performing pump repairs, among other on-demand tasks. And speedy service depends on reliable equipment.

“Our guys are called sometimes in the middle of the night. And our machines are hooked up, ready to go,” Inglett explained. “We’ll go out to a broken water main situation with the surety that our machines are going to crank up, unload, do their job and come back home safe. And they’ve never let us down.”

Reliability also goes hand-in-hand with having the ability to take the daily abuse of various operations. “It’s like a Timex watch,” Inglett said. “It can take a licking and keep on ticking.”

Reliable and indestructible

Tom Jones, a manager and equipment operator at Columbia County Water Utility, agreed. “My experience with Yanmar equipment over the years has been that they’re very reliable and pretty much indestructible.”

The water utility company’s Yanmar tracked carrier earned this reputation in its 10 years and counting of transporting manhole covers and pipes onsite and hauling heavy materials in offsite locations such as mud holes and swamps that are unpassable for regular dump trucks. In all this time, the C50R-5’s battery and tracks have not needed to be changed, saving the company on replacement costs. The machine can also transport crew members to the jobsite, saving them the half a mile hike.

The fleet’s ease of use has proven valuable in an environment with ongoing hiring challenges and a shortage of skilled labor. Even with fewer available operators and regular employee turnover, training is simplified due to the mini excavators’ intuitiveness. And the machines’ stability makes newer drivers feel safer operating them. This collective package of reliability, sturdiness and user-friendliness kept the county coming back to Yanmar.

“When your operation can rely on a piece of equipment like a Yanmar, it’s a no brainer,” Inglett said. “You don’t even shop other machines. You shop which Yanmar you want because they’re so reliable.”

Finding their Flow

Over its two-decade relationship with the water utility company, Yanmar has proven to be a perfect partner for employees dedicated to serving their fellow citizens quickly and efficiently. The sturdiness, reliability and flexibility of their fleet has matched their high-standards and reputation for excellent performance. For Columbia County Water Utility, addressing underground water maintenance needs with minimal turf damage is no pipe dream.