VAC Boss - Robotic Sediment Removal for Drinking Water Reservoirs
Controlled removal of settled sediment and soft deposits from drinking water tanks and reservoirs, delivered around asset-specific water-quality, hygiene and operational requirements.
Remove settled sediment from drinking-water storage
Sediment settles on reservoir floors over time. It can reduce effective storage volume, obscure the internal condition of the floor and structure, create maintenance concerns and form part of the contamination-risk picture that drinking water suppliers need to manage.
VAC Boss removes that sediment remotely. It is a tethered crawler that vacuums settled material off the floor and discharges it outside the asset, so for suitable reservoirs the clean can be planned around actual internal conditions rather than automatically draining the reservoir.
Every clean starts with a look inside, because the sediment depth, its character and the condition of the floor decide whether robotic removal is the right method at all.
Typical applications
- Council drinking water reservoirs
- Potable water storage tanks
- Water treatment plant clear-water storage
- Community water storage
- Commercial or institutional drinking water tanks
- Other treated-water storage facilities
What a sediment removal scope can include
- Robotic sediment removal using VAC Boss where suitable
- Turbidity monitoring where required by the agreed methodology
- Documented equipment hygiene and pre-entry disinfection controls
- Pre-clean ROV inspection to locate and assess the sediment before any cleaning starts
- Sediment observations and depth assessment where practical
- Internal visual condition assessment of accessible areas
- Inspection of floors, walls, joints, penetrations, pipework, fittings, inlets, outlets and screens where visible and accessible
- Before-and-after video and photographic records
- Cleaning records and practical maintenance observations
- Drain-down and conventional cleaning options where remote cleaning is not appropriate
Cleaning or inspection while an asset remains full or operational is not automatic. Suitability depends on the asset configuration, outlet arrangement, hydraulic conditions, water-quality requirements, sediment characteristics, access, supplier procedures and agreed operational controls.
How VAC Boss removes sediment
VAC Boss is a tethered four-wheel-drive crawler designed to remove settled sediment and soft deposits from drinking-water reservoir floors. It combines a wide adjustable suction head, remote mobility, live low-light video, lighting, depth indication and an integrated real-time turbidity sensor with a live topside display, so the operator can confirm coverage and watch water clarity before, during and after cleaning. Sediment is drawn through the head to an external pump and hose system and discharged to an agreed point outside the reservoir.
The unit is cleaned, disinfected and released under a documented potable-water equipment procedure before entry, and its wetted surfaces are cleanable, non-shedding and corrosion-resistant. The technology page has the full specification, and the VAC Boss datasheet (PDF) is available to download.
Regulatory context
For applicable drinking water supplies, the scope can be planned to support the asset owner or drinking water supplier in meeting relevant obligations under the Water Services Act 2021, the Water Services (Drinking Water Standards for New Zealand) Regulations 2022, the current Drinking Water Quality Assurance Rules and the supplier's Drinking Water Safety Plan and water storage management procedures.
For large networked supplies, current storage-facility rules specifically address storage management plans including inspection and cleaning, annual security and contamination inspections, disinfection procedures, cleaning after drain-down maintenance, suitability of ROV materials for contact with drinking water, and disinfection of equipment entering storage facilities.
Valmar provides cleaning, inspection and supporting records. Responsibility for regulatory compliance remains with the drinking water supplier / asset owner. Read the standards and compliance framework.
To find out whether your reservoir is suitable for robotic sediment removal, provide the reservoir depth, dimensions, access arrangement, floor or liner type and sediment condition and we will confirm suitability and the pump-and-hose duty required. Ring 027 313 0280 or send us an enquiry.
Drinking Water Questions
Can you clean a drinking water reservoir while it remains full?
Potentially. VAC Boss can provide a remote cleaning option for suitable assets, but the decision is site-specific and depends on water quality, hydraulics, outlets, sediment conditions and agreed operational controls.
Where does the removed sediment go?
Sediment is drawn through the suction head into an external pump and hose system and discharged to a point outside the reservoir agreed with you before the work starts.
Can you inspect a drinking water reservoir without draining it?
In suitable circumstances, yes. The method depends on the reservoir configuration, water-quality requirements, supplier procedures, access and operating conditions.
How do you control hygiene for potable-water work?
The potable-water methodology includes equipment suitability checks, cleaning and disinfection controls, pre-entry hygiene procedures and any additional requirements specified by the drinking water supplier.
Do you provide turbidity monitoring?
Where required by the agreed methodology, turbidity monitoring can be incorporated to help observe potential water-quality impacts during cleaning.
Other Services
Remote inspection and cleaning for drinking water, wastewater, fire water and industrial water assets across New Zealand. Every job starts with an inspection, so the method is chosen from what is actually inside the asset.
Wastewater - Sludge Boss
Remote inspection and sludge removal for wastewater tanks, ponds, lagoons, wet wells and treatment assets. Read more
Fire Water Tanks
Condition inspection, sediment assessment and cleaning options that support fire-water system maintenance and asset records. Read more
ROV Inspection & Condition Assessment
High-definition video, photographic records and observations of submerged components, sediment and visible defects. Read more
Industrial Water Infrastructure
Remote inspection and cleaning for process water, raw water, settling tanks and difficult-to-access submerged assets. Read moreNeed to know what is happening inside your tank or reservoir?
Start with an inspection. We can help establish the condition of the asset and recommend a practical next step based on what is actually found. Tell us what the asset is, roughly where it is and what you need to know, and we will come back to you.
027 313 0280- marcus@valmar.co.nz
- Based in Tauranga, Bay of Plenty - working across New Zealand
- Drinking water, wastewater, fire water and industrial water assets
Helpful to have on hand: the asset type and approximate size, depth, access arrangement, floor or liner type, and whether it can stay in service. If you do not know yet, that is fine - the inspection is how we find out.