GB2535045A

GB2535045A - Apparatus for a sewerage system

Info

Publication number: GB2535045A
Application number: GB1605008.0A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Robinson David
Original assignee: Veolia Water Outsourcing Ltd
Current assignee: Veolia Water Outsourcing Ltd
Priority date: 2011-12-01
Filing date: 2012-09-12
Publication date: 2016-08-10
Anticipated expiration: 2032-09-12
Also published as: GB2500270B; GB2534072B; GB201605008D0; GB2497157B; GB201216308D0; GB2497157A; GB2500270A; GB201204995D0; GB201605007D0; GB2534072A; GB201120804D0; GB2535045B

Abstract

An apparatus comprising sensing means 100 fitted to a conduit 40 so as to sense the level of sewage in the conduit substantially at a legal boundary of a building or land on which the building is built, wherein the drain 40 communicates waste from the building to the public sewer 50 across said boundary. A communicating means 30 is arranged to communicate with the sensing means 100 to determine whether the level of sewage in the conduit has reached a predetermined threshold level, and to communicate information indicative of this to a location remote from the building, and optionally remote from the drain 40, i.e. to a private company with responsibility for maintaining the public sewer. A housing for the sensing means 100 comprises a first surface complementing a first conduit surface, and a second surface complementing a second conduit surface, wherein the first surface connects to the first conduit (e.g. via a self-adhesive waterproof pad, lugs and screws) or the second surface similarly connects to the second conduit.

Description

Intellectual Property Office Application No. GII1605008.0 RTM Date:31 NT 2016 The following terms are registered trade marks and should be read as such wherever they occur in this document: "GSM" -page 15 line 5, page 25 line 19 Intellectual Property Office is an operating name of the Patent Office www.gov.uk /ipo

APPAR FIFA,

A public ambler fon not eat tierss. to ap ulbodiniwits. cif the in in waver ersystems.

B Cs ROL ally t, n bald' 0;11st:n or. associated tho a water andior foal ntate will be referred to herein as such bundincs io the public sewer through a c n ndhit known as win c single 'building to the pUbb e. sewer. Typically,. a public sewer M ration land or public and; any drain conneetingfo the sewer Meatt or public ity fa wer o or adjacent to the tlae build,in ti e biod ace tests wit thr tattie law n d and tx;'ales that came into effect affect the ov>iiership of drams, Li particular, these changes transferred to responsible pub lie sewe erstilp of the part of each drain betw sewer and the legal boundaary of the huildi e drain ram This part of t chain al drain'. Prior to I Oe responsibility for the whole Of the drath, re lat s of its tocatiort tested with the ownor of the building served by it, Since I Octobe ponsibility of the budding owner has reduced such that he she is only responsibi for the part of the drain thrtboundary of land on which the relevant building is sited ec and,verfloW, Stihether titers'.. ia hfockage in di or in drain that' responsible Par the reap/mirth et Me ic pa th sitality o of the blocka vstetts ewerage company is in the part of the drai blocked f the an be ft igement of a public, 11 a singleding 1.1'erefrom t coliect sew-age from a lteddin A hl k 6. o the p A, eiventually manifest itself as sewage at point I or elsewhere. 114., owner of g served by die Main u suld t ena a v c ampany responsible for th st itire bk. Vivid the change in Gaut specific point along the a s located Or Whgre, the fore who ia"ually by cleaning Mu en not possible conclusively to eliaally responsible fir clearing, it. For exatinpic, u blockage at point A t company as lying on the public sides legal boa. Wing, side of the land on which the buildin sited; wberea point C or 15 sconid be the reso Y of the ow7ier at rile building es ly'ing withi, that boundary. in addition, it may be oend that the drain is s cYi xrg.d dice to a in the public,sewer, Such blockage would be the responsihibty of tti;e sewerage puny, kite cannot the efore usa blockage would be likely e the blockage was at C..% this In the e detlocked but it due to a tailstack as -a blockage in the public, 'J:e location of the e m the public sewer then has to be determined. Such beating of the blockage: is -ad by lifttttg manhole covers in order to identify the pails of the to affc'ted the blockage. Thulocation of tree l lockage can then be split-oath% a by the personnel 1 frog the manhole covers. Stith a process of locating a is unduly time comiuming and is often risky to operate x r nrei}droad us toand touters.

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e invention:here t'. apparatus comprising he sensing means is 'age in the conttuia substantially at a legal the building is built, the conduit snang across the legal boundary., the;tenon coulfslisule' easing means to determine whether e conduit has at least reached a predetermined level and responsn e to this, e infer nataon indicative of this to a remote 'lt cation.

sed at the lega /Y.:Ur:darn its possible a blockage or surcharge, who is re pon''ible Torcleating a blockag at the boundary as sensed b sensing means, then the blockage mustinsane the boundary such That tecpensibtls y tier clearing the blockage lies w the owner oproperty Tf. however, a bk xkzae Dar=t: sr and the level of sewage ss high ndary, the titt blockage must be outs de theboundary such thar to establish the.

ewer systems, in adarcs o3 clearing thein and to improve abut the existence of s blat kale ate befo. it affects the sewerage ecapan ding or t.wage trom ng mean3 is dui subs The sensor may project into the conduit, This --lion legal boundary. The sensor may be responsive piaauce a signal. In an embodiment, the sens 0 onhe sensor not being ir contact with liqu IC3130.owner 13'6 trionitiarint company to know of a 2..

fr-cted, or if the customer reports o problem, 10 tertnine whether or not it is responsible without the. delay' art a Inver ga gal how) Y a e the hounda of 'and on which the build predetemirned level may be flows hi the pipe, but tt all ay be substantial aped fbr" let es t.3 y levet being eFieeeded and :I maybe pro edtot so at may comprise a lay be y at the otact xis tae aft penes The sense above ay from the bottom f tl e conduit. Th 65% and % from the 'venom of the eond The sensor:nay s the cam' angle. The oblique Engle may be bettve dues from, the horizontal, The oblique angle may be 45 degrees from t The sensor r may' SUbStaraially towards $2;e1Atra of the condult. d

o proJeM into,Tees aed 55 d respect to the condui:bed above but Stead ed on the, conduit at the saint orientation.

The com arts may soar tr the control comro 1v3s/itIg ay be arranged per to o as a signal that is received by the it, ic I of sewage in the conduit having reached andior not ("had the precleten nod levi 1. In an &sib° t, the sensing means utinerates indie4inui). This in the conduit not ntedeter Tan od provided that the dr.a.11) fiali 0 furl and is therefore services Ie appantus to monitor se.niieriability The to u control of the control inchoative ef the level in response to receiving JO* be an-an Graft efore operaii virig at least reaohe ibe predetcrint a 3r a period 1.ne> which may be a p muntcaiin s is to ward against4 once el ig means f tote lit The rx,annte location may be a privat b -for maintaining the public sew ea arms may se for example, battery The fl may re:mynas electricity ge eatin. means such from or ettical source Si ch as powe ee could he at to to from the icatiog he housed above adjacent t x sensing means. The centre cans andior the y be housed just bel a private compan) to early di sewers are epic publicly he sewer Ina) use be owned andtor ma ined by ountries, This Maybe the slime pthate compan' asi that Oho sewee* is therefore wed herein In stye nat.lkW. tD rife to a mmas11n e n4 stit y Other aspects lion are enviSatead in high to sense the les l of sesza e at the legal boundary of pr sewage at Otte aspects are at yd tT which the is detemtines comprise a housing for the sensin, face having a term arranged, to comp sewerage conduth and a second surface hasing a form dill.ferra te, the second surface complement a cond sewerage co to donned to tkte fast Se erase conduit at the first surface erase conduitsewed surface, d urfaces may be s curved may b onduit, Alt e cone it united stalese lb At t;f:6..;;( c1 land atcnr3Ca of the =11p Ol.id spr fa-es that is curse face the resp on slug

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tin the sing on an a: The at least sss4: sensing eans throng Po f the that and secondsu.tf des maY he let comprise at tease one crnnec#San etelrac=nl fareating the housinp, to a sewerage conduit, The first av each have associated connection clement for connecting the res ective au kce of the housing to respective condui 7the associated comet: ckments may he lugs screw is feedable for clamping the housing to r respective condut, AI lea e connection elements may compass; adhesive =nag& to connect awe surface of the housing to a respective conduit, At least one connect ay be a fitr i aia pay having adhesi first side in cv'n fo connect oP hOnSing anl the sesond may be arranged surfaces may be external surfaces of the housing vide c> ctt;tte electronic components of The:apr tans rzas e MO, ti devi may be a between conduit>eat suppot Jig e house Snit The it duct sr age o be inserted withi hoaisz tie muddling the irdenind SUT arranged for sew tbereihrougt y be tented ffcom.

onion of i-i ondu _Furthermore, chat a hole thee which at ensing a leve g gad to Pr According to another asp apparatus for sensing the comprise one, /31" all of the hod of sewage in described below as y comprise any comb trarin he above-describe:4r ethod may rod f The r±tet hod may coin nse the steps of the conthil met beans period ealiy °tiered 20 seris}np ineaftfi to ascertain whether or not the lever of sewage has d then con ntmicating information indicative: of ft-nation ttdicatsve of this may be in the form of 1. The the fond of an alarm message, The alarm message ma,), communicated ss1y: for example by SMS text message. The information indicative of this y he in the form of data indicating whether or not the Levet of age has at least reached the predetermined level and the time d The data may be communitiat ssry, for example data co phone network, 30: and, on eertainin se the step of penczperiodically oparoting the sensing ax ose sat the level of se ached the predetermin ached the p on-maltreating and, optionally, on ascthait ing that it AS not reached the rtes heck this after a he::s=ensing a predetermine 'h $ periodic period of operat way C. then be ones it again s.

one of the comprise ale for a set, tueugh.

-hag Uquid in the ss rat: Thy apparata. apparatus to as:Si one COESISC element for col fi resendmg t. that the informahen if. The method nia. ion has Also dnclose s a con n3 su At le1st one the tint and sera stazf>aces that. is carved -des on an eade al et systems the cantal f a first sewerage drain; lie second and sewerage drain, wherein the a rage drain act the first surface. or cow lac c t surface hat, In and stelae train device:Or Use 0 ving a fa a sewerage omplemeed ta the or a e 0 tis s ar as 331d Sew ay be a curve The method reeeia ii the conttel means has lsi eating to the ref ed. This raay be by ion dot me ation indica e loco lag an alas let ted by ° beers avt have assoun attic sratusim the re ect#ve draim =seed connection e clamping' he apparel: At least okte of elem may ca prise adbesty a.rrangeed to ill re apps rated "consecutive.", ng', or ed not necessarily m o drains that are geographically located next to each other to drains that arc consecutive or sirnila to height above a fixed noint_ s.tich any other suitable ordnance datum. consecutive

I is

ved infer e system may be idle pecttve or he apparatus to ik reipcttive drain.

connect a rasp he surfaces may h dev' or ctronic of a lrnusin: ft ge ed is a Also disc system X and a plurality of t od C lying inforrnatiol Cmrii a plurality of sells a n s The receiv The method also anon is in ±ifse.vage ses identifying a failure akin-kat on, rage aybe a flexible herein the Orst side is Undogorl connedlt to ono apparatus and the second side is airangett to au,o r toy be identified vi alit), of drains are surehaage, ni of a or drain. drains Nock sensor height, at any:pa considered "consecatrY drains w ed wit i of sew apon the position of the characteristics of the se' hooadary, and the ten 'consecutive need no hair being identified as ocatie n of property e of these reasons thet aphi adjac iJ result it hi the sower is resort of 'a ethod may tater co; .e or siltation in the son surcharged sequentially from the:oast downstream drain us the the plurality of eposeconste drain A oekage ation pre nue -upstream of the ti sys The sewer and drains pint or siltation will therefore sip og sumbarted iii Site order of their!eye/ occurs. It ag, iat refer 7,L) die drain that is MON( pie,SilnatC tO first drain to Ea sUtr. i gecl dig to both its lob respect to the sewer.

in t the.method may further conapzss alturesewer is a result of hydraulic. overloading when the:inforrtau consecutive drains have become surcharged subslann 1p sitnult an of water into a sewer due to a n becoming surcharged very but drains is vrtert a to Situ tbnet ogipated hod m moment= tit i f consecutivo, drain prise iota dt drain aire most do Whatever the become affeefea economic respon rapid (thief-piney) affecled or become due io a h'.ocliage nr silt.

ge con.pies if adjati ifiUlbe appu Med Mowly then I m il rapidly, then a "oaring drains are not pp The rtiethod may also anon indicates that ihj n. a thin °?ire drains is quipmeat snags bo te.4uirect due to orthermore, information relafing to the severity of the 'II also affect;the required response for

For example,

u er comprise mniattim r Certain personnel or the location of the failure% could also be provid iderin fled fat imprise entitled tee The attio iitformatio text message to he Mon may be sera central sena entiiod failure o an identified po the processor may be ar angod to idenaly that the in the sewer is a result h overloading Allen the information indicate-a that ktrality of five, drains have become surcharged substantiaily simodancoltsly. Addtionaaly gauge located near to the blockage, or near to the sewerage system upstream of monitored and data from it ins hewvy rain fall could So The p3rnccsso the roe surcharged, y arranged to. ',knit ti ma's be doh: weragc t one r we drain being The "er TOY be Pre 'tiolosed above The apparatus sr, a commit communication wait may he atninged to c of se axyangead to identify a failure ed t ro id a processor, Th for By:cocci syswtu lace warms; the sew ohm to identify the specificsp..ecific krcattcn of the aspect oftht or itiOr heisieweati at the sewer is a result of oat upstreamdrawl anged Wendt th ost V be Ci tO identify WI a for ri ee the outs-stir has afent icd the failure the ap e for' ectifying that f The action for information regard; lied failure may H-sending an a a the commun o record is stns ca rata at d,se lo e if here or if the asiar has f d to operate, sor may be art g at h-s ed, Ff7N' bodmrents and ex be described by way d('exs£n ia,onl and with refarence to the a drawir,gs, in which: collected a tahelp in th a a pr isa be arrangedhe failurerrf'tht dcuzx trearn drai.t of th luraltty of r, n ee twedrai as being be OT argtd ytae aanged to one drain Meimhati surcharged, wilder r thod steps disci eadable tar COMPUter acipic cif Data ai ar sys paratu sl apparatus fitted icr sensing bematie Fig (nigh the ig tbiku, out by the-dish vides a scht igure I corm e 6 is a flaw the apparatus; plan vt drain as Figure 7 is a errs ct ai tell,. 0Stem for senSinwa fa awmage Figure rn of Figure 7; a drain eta Figure IC is a. crass-seanal e a 9 in sitti th the sensing

rimydescription and draw in eferecce numerals

!.ED DESC N O CERTAIN EXAM P A system r sensin a failur as a wlocn,cge, in a lraia of a sewerage sy now be described with reference to sensing apparatus 13 for sensing the levet of sewage in a ditaim WI? ttia is made up ett,'ZIOe to now eve. described forth toss section, with the bonusn invest -51-0) of the drain 40 when hurled in the d.

_anedary of the private property The drain 40 is provide: bout 45 degrees above the horizontal such that thess C:.

of the pipe above the invert of the p >d 3t c ii pro to that ru ided. Also pro d dr eaSer, control nears 1n th -es and cotter rticatins :ttetx it licmpr of elect( to M can be seen 50. The end pith' Figure 2,.a: drain 40: ain 40 that is withir a private property to e pooped 4.233 teneive A shown) that firms pia ty, a private inepe:e60 connects to erty is an its 40. the inspen daty.

galley 70 that tho rats from amber 60 and the Ridley 70 ay o4'tFZe pnvat vial to connect to the dr ay from Other age frein boundary of end data wireless. 1 that al ts s using, at n ink:At:ions r such other fords of wire be described in more commur 8n as coniance wit embodiment, tIERS. Irr used. Each of the ratan ting description with the sensor 100 mo ntt d ttt kite drain, leatione clizicitty 30 are moue ed together in a id just below ground level; The sensor zM 3 icy cable 110 drain 40 is rrespondang to the se section is taken at tole 42 through its r is between 6,5<' and ensor 100 is mounted sensorhousing 120 with a sensing end of to a sp" ot Tkte s hodimenis., covering) the 00 using projecting ugh on ded with a st or housing

S

d should provi cal around the the se ng 120 and the (Indx d of the sons sro Bets into the drain 40 when nu) Should however be ta avoid the sensor projecting so far m ileets Solid matter and contributes to a blockage form feted to hs sensor 100, exits the sensor housing e ho to sensor cable 1 l,tt le surrounded by and cable d==act S 12 secured to the spigutt. stiel

in this aka drain 40 as it The nmta-eal the other e ptotS by a ttexi13 * .es above es end to a lave/ hat 'ehc indicating that the drain 4Q: o -b e sensing: cud of h eight of the insid ally designe approximately 6 at corresponds to a ing the ho 0 is positione Is 40. Drains 40 *irouna anticipate al height of the I therefore allow present eretbodime provides voltage ana currant, and via

suitable for

of erate& with:a voltage Of 5 protect on rating, sa rnetalnoi: if in CO ia an opto The sensor 100 i 'elected to the present As will be appare kr fn rn Figure 2, y the drain 40 at 't boundary of the private property. The remons r below.

a to Figure 2 p the form ai °per d above ordains the.

The toiei'oprecesssr 20 is in (ASK') that is profit test and slscd below and with r The conktr=utiicataons circuitry sa arranged a d operabantler the co W' ssly over a cellti i.011117115 into thins are (not to 4, th onn) rg d starts with a sogees of steps that are one-off ntt this teitwain information

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which the s containing s r is einered 'T'Ite Duty M phone number paratus send SMS text messages or rat tene 4 e nonnai operating regirn At step 2{a4 tlts sense atIon s is set: As 's becoitte. clear: 100, is the period bof ee sacceSstve;aetx+z*.zn At step 200 ve sd CS is,mot of of the sensor 160 in each activation, -tteney is At step Whit.

method s de-se. d below in Str Fain c t3iticia before At attip:E2Wi the Si 5 is.:Sent -OS SCILS1 At step the on of the apparat 4., the,WIASOT is operated and any signal provided therefrom are Inoltait0Tht and stored ID the memt of the sensing apparatus 10, together with the time of day of that sigmal. The sensor is -tad previously set in step 206.

mare or alte too of askedas to sshe# 0 method proceeds to ste tel.? check pt ate 4 i the specify applittation, frig back to step 2I 6, via 8ee SS reteivec t> to el method legs that tiais is the case 24, before that deletes siataia mote than date ninect the the t 226 said ita t xe next a tn. atsot. of the sensor 100, This is done by 1 npilaa tP rri a a query at step r79 which'asks other the number of 0-frequency In 204 have elarged snce the end of the lag CO. If that number of minutee has not elapsed, I jest& and then moves front 210.

ep 230, the t eti qcl tact otter-the sensor 100 forth ',her of 206 anti tar=oceeds to step 232 At 'step twined whether or not th 's 'Mot any nme euz si" ti:e sensln period-(which is the &raft activation. of tined that the sensor the sensing spedkid, the method moves to Step 234 n whien it 3s ace not thy for the MI duration of the cheek period if the sensor.100 is dry for the fun sensing period, t which the output h ed again, i.e. after the.

my in step 208 The ray Cheeit taitcs plt}c:e in step }es 3/411C..ed out. ei ier over the ts; t the sew role' tea me sznret ' emote data atom ontubili sod lire tie et -= on at step 2 a receipt of a confatrlat oo 0: ot si h ti rte fthi at e rapts,method sends an un='7k45 a p one tfimbcr step 202 a text Ines at Step 'to thc 0 tirUc v tke site of #E e apparatus m e over manually data e and sysm apparatus..

ISA to ace of the apparatus situ -mild be eats res age. sage

40, the method i roceeds tt step 2 Sett they Man got. This is followed by step 250 at which the tat rom the sensor and stared in pparatus are uploaded, in method then waits ation by text message at tc 254 and 2,56 owies:ge.msart o "i.rreeei t is rzc t reset et!, before pixie i It a text a e is s I, -er to * a failed. A visit apparat s tray then,,he made to catty in response to the alarrnts) and to recovs r manually data wledgement of safe receipt be received at step d the data have been sa y Seta a s e sCfECOk 1051 is configurable in C' out at the ri not days be ing). At ste tf, on carrying out that re-cheek at246, ttr step 240 referred to above and, geo eing sutchusged, The steps subsequent to step leich ch con d tot step.: d goes back to the qu ethod motes to step 240 a: er being generates an d. Subsequent steps ur add ',a re-s o the method Bitch that two further attempts are made to resold the 2 od proceeds to step 224 des gibed system zescribecd shove', tP epchile sewer and the ?rat. eci

suchasat the public sewer Themes's& for detecting above-described system and as, such o usly described syst be described, is arranged to vu es e. described.

ngs to step 2,58 transmission main front the app h {Ad )1 drain 40. storage and ranee pparatus is arranged to communiccate Ong t only arranged for corn "try, but 'so arranged to send eximmunioarion messages, b) pie, to personnel who are -cd as sintab image system.

ti unit for "s graphical posit enact above the se of the sensor, for exampi e ti lege, ciliation, collarse,, ade mimes with reference to the airuati r a blockag the public sew the system described her also applicable to eat Figure 5 sin) erten) of length at 50 A inenhcr o 140, 241', 340, 440 fee in 40, 140; 240, 340 440 takes the gnat of the drai to deacribed a ove az d tht efore includes a sensing apparatus equivalent to the arm and proeets info 'It' ti arates Mk and the geographksi location harcher. Also tier pparatuses. The, above ordnance denim, along with de info/non-ion The processor may be arranged to make >arions dete minaticas regardi "lure within the sewerage system based on th is performed bye the processdiscussed in ing apparatus ass surcharged, the syncing apparatusu remote data storage and;processing system. arstent then checks its data storage to deter-rain Sc Sea processor for er.eiving taste, e roemor eta as a semi nal anon regarding es.

a drain detezri7ines C it ttteSSi win 4d dta stored data mg age levels to if it is det ate surcharged then public sewer and pg,rtirin att treat: t star determ s-ing apparatus, lb duty manager urot rig system and is blocked betwee ne pub. itt lateral r personnel can then lhe failure, is detect.

"te data ster ge and prucessin sewer. The location of the blockage is th received from 'II discussed below, I deterrtiined the public nde i eighhnuring d or publi r119PertY "Si try the blockage n he pub Sewer b* 440, winch are upstream of th drains 24Q, 340, and 44Q: Will sequentially from the.drain the blockage, drain 4413: er at point. X, v, the sewage flo ' dm he Itledkage X.. occurs drains 240 340 and d become surcharged y, hrernte rcharged 240, to the drain furthest Once the blockage occurs, II) data storage an gsg the blockages sequentially from data ccived from t respect apparatuses, since a seguenttad surcharging of c 'e or neighbouring brains is bier:tee in the public sewer, the remote data storage; and proeessi ti approximate Meant, surcharged e cons 34th arid. 440 surcharged ari y t In ad<litio neighbourtig,dra"." deduce tSse blockage is do ns° titike surchar ed d=rains st drains. Hence, example shown in rain 4t., and to he surcharged, whi,rams 40 and 140 are not Ii the remote data storage and processine system is able to ni the li drain ikely to y no n public esver as diagztesed, a response alarm thr a Once b tweet is raised dent upon where the hi Consequently, an appropriate wintionan ea Hence, responses or alanns for fai lum tnri insteadl t ponce f zr a bloc ted.

the bletikag issued unlit a men: that different responses tray be pr block in the pi a ant data n to the re g with dat ret desert nn. signal is Ewa the tint period of time has passed10 eniibik, tit tartnine whether the absence: of to dry signal from a:particular f.a nessice failure in. the pablia.SVAT-t, T11e system discussed in accordence y once it i oh as a ded from the actiSing appa data. storage and protiessing s received from neighbouring drains, informata that are no tify therefore y manager erected a (hal cIth the surd zs at stoted',relardi uirc "asstd. It is as been received, i tire has occ C different typ to a blockage.

torage of public a xt the liquid essing systemalso;arang blockage or siltation may slowly and repeated Pc nt git-ad etc higher as not only of the public sewer due A drains upstream of the p and down wound a Mean f the blockage inertias o as system. Eventually, the drains will become complete' r s ircharged and She ceasing apparatuses will retuairi wet. The remote data s therefore amageti to detect these fluctuations in in consecutive orams in order to detect or rule out a failure in the public blockage or siltation, as early as possible, In contrast, rsf the pu d, for example as a re 'It of a storm, is likeiy to result in rdrains becoming surcharged almost ain't ieti yate rage sysi rt ap be unsrk1 n the ease of blockages in he sewerage Sys c st nui. Consequently, the vet man number of manhole covers near to rit ge ons liecaose no and

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upable lockage, fiance, the re ti data storage a:d processingsystem i differ e in as a Spelt an intent he Sewerage S ent from tb ivage levels PP a verlead are notabjy fen he exce ss ' the id inform feeding tdiep athitent nits because;Sne U of the bid ge can he ideritifted by led on ef the block of -a The a wiles# within the P edict dote a xresxrrz d ins the public a a it win Vii; ill each of -sociated be tised in order to ocessir3g system er dot could use ar y'suitabte y xe of detectim public Rewer. to L 1Ltiot far multiple ie provide more act lion to the re late at e SQnSors Inoviding at re ace irate antz,rinatidn allow Ic failures witinit a sewerage syst to be progromn esaflo method for de ect.zag,<aitxi seat d'in Figure 6 is erran 4 of ix application spec re 4. In partira/ar, Figure 6 ill APE.

d to be an a:T.6 tivt t he method sorbed Fe" neassar 24

A

rant +f a rca tithe meth Il bed.

P 01 ettati.open ersrequired by the;se et prior to deployment of the control circuit. For exam activation frequency it set in inintieS at step 302, as thc sensor 303. Fu t ei:more, at step 304 a checking prooest estatifishod w control e-chock the fremmney. This cheek may of minutes.

predetermined n of Pipits-4. Only those features of the scri ed will now be described, h t.if the Ski sor c Mini circuit associate tly be itla Figaro gnat oniitiring is achic ing ser,sat cent Once 0 at step 30S magnetic swi by an in pie, a The sensor control et hen ready to fun venue semhig as indica st step a step 307castled out as to whether the tot is dry or r is dry, a dry ir itorin May eirenit to activated (step 30S}. The dry menOri nturtis canunimicatively coupled to the remote data storage and processing systeam. which may also be referred to as the oement system. Hence, a monitoring signal indicative of the sensor bein El 0 is dry. hF sentorcontrol unit to the data garage a transferred alill StalliaTieaiSly afkr mointering, cir uit is then maintained in era ntil y' minntes have elapsed, id Men the t stitaie b alt ei pence ten torittg :sing begins When E,sc sea,scyr is determined notto be drit i.e, to be censer c pat into sleep nut the sensor contra circuit is woken u Ting that the A data uornrnumisan '4d between the-sensor:sort eirattit an data storage antig 7 ent.8y8t 'ts as atimmittnicetiorts interface. Thee date communicatt r pparatu" iS an-aigec4 to cotsmatitit.monitOt the sensor s The data communication system such sz 7e GPRRf to =t,iection system in whit' the. s t so stat s i tonstartty monitored by means of e3. m cominunicationsad deote data coo munisation. apparatus therefore receives inforrha SCIISOr ',OnITOICircUit and sends the interaction on to data storage and rrenageraerkt system (step 314 f the t id Foca uty y miattliet.

If tthe sensor i determinates 314 -alma to be. dry( (step lithe sense= dry trier: the data storage idiom that eit pat nrec aces e Ys argett or the ns©> has h s pled is sumbarg sensors will f wily and tin two nei likely to indicate the 'uue Stare of the conduit, Ph inc 18). A check is thencarries ou which the {stet; 320). it is ate er s have e beybeenactivated dee to ff to deal with addition, lid w fcjob ni System (step 322); ith then an al blocked drain d and programmed within a Vic?: ea/able the alarm to he monitored, ad signed off am of otheraim taai.1s t.grding,t 3 can app usiy disc ragernent S Taie data report (step 3 report can then determined if sit rtb the Work NI ded (St ill be escalated to the du ager wi nr.a.n (step this Point t2 position of a Fri o Agate. new work job w e Work: t+anai processing F.,-ste periodic s;s from dos 1:18 ',nor ss requited then ork li rt 1£ required 3013 is This be up port era/ dat yassd by,ton i (step 3 5).

n (stop 322 p>cscess prat?ides a fbr mor=it ring t#F status.

ontrol circuits associatedsensoit. T me of the p.(k ess age system can be y and therefore rectified amore effectiveJy.

Figures and e, apparatus 500sensing blockage:, incyst on Figures 7 1st control and housing 502.

C E Ipctrin angedto le data storage. awd proems, le/ironic ee inside the;touting 502 and the housing Stag is seata d to provide a Hy safe contains:11 The:commameatloxi tT.t ana includes an antenna for c tin wit torage and processing a ' housing 502 has an amen a housin ortio of rite rousing 50., which.allows heye apparatus 00 for improved antenna pe tried that c# e s fern a couid he provided within the main or on any ext face 502a is connected to tEre strain 400 via to/Meal.° oof pad, or other ai thickness oftlie self-adhesive wide ted ilia appropriare to the size of the pipe or d connection layer 503 is'provided e 502 502 to the dale 400 via lye waterproo ad or adhesive, thereby allowing far a stroriger connection between the housing 502 and the drain 400.

As shown in Figure 8-, which pro-Ades-a p n.500, the other exte Sarfaces of sing.502 a e pr video with different profiles m fortis to different drank avitig a door configuradons.

the firstsuface 502a, deplete igui.e " tor a standard mountin to kul external surface of the drain 400, the it td.,.rface 502c, a fourth surface 5024 and mountingsystem 500 in different. wa.

The seriond sureac of 50ttun and is arranged an insidece of a chamber of a statical drain system 500 can be

Q thr ar -'1

of tire se of use a t a tensing rip mien in the drain.

torliPtt.

mounted onto w out sulfas sing means g"ir a scaled ripening in th, tfle.10115 urface 502a As the fare bored ing the hoes is having an seta usl iernes arranged to be corteeeted The fourth surface 502d h of a chamber c has a venicai drab-radius of 75mm a vertiC l sf afl ka n an ^alter s of S though it well be aanother internal such as I 00nan, 225hati1. 502e is a flat surface :g d tin v5tet ambers of a larrger damtiler than 225man or on flat chamber walls sec' Ifourth d be ate drain Thies the the housing 502 connection, and also sportive:onnccftng lags 505h, g 502. Eac lug is in the sea. the lug may be considered a devices caste be passed ate or socket within the rpr o ct ided to help secure an' rhamber wall. U cos tomime. to &sin su,faC.

cora-test h c, 505d, 50 continua o through the im size a s, f, e". and as Screws, bolts fixed into Lets usesor irre o the surface for which the housing surfaces are, designed to connect with.

of e -ystem 500 theref 3 e allc u s for y desired tocatiais. Conseque y 00 to he ions for Po Figure 5 thin the g to into a rkairi 400 such, the sheet sae ouAing u sensor housing 500.

o a cylindrical form for insertion m for r. 400, as ShOWn Sri I i are any sci taicrial, es stainleas steel or *she, which exible oiled and will she whensewerage * sleeve 600 is r netore self ed so that when it es it " fed lied; up fon) Me sleeve ett t to a flat sheet As atward force towards the wails cf t the drain 400, Which holds the sleeve 600 an more detail below.

°using o tl Id the sensor and the acinsor housi S,nes l gin ai eve 0 tl e bole 601 is posif sleeve 600 is at the top of the sleeve alo it posttionitig 1tLure, the when th 0 the d allow t hum t the sleeve 600, si provides a good position fur the Anise. 400. it will be appr provided along the length of the lC 0-sui multitude of different manhole rthgar ti 2$ at:prep-lately sensor 501 g 500,. pronaido by er the nleeve sie 4'E, hksls sensoP -0i and a 601 veh=.c hewn m 10, the the aka ve -a exerted by the theeve secures: housing 500 between the sleeve 600 anti the thside wail of the drain 5-00.

Consequently, the slaws 600 pmvides s meann housing 500 within the drain 400. it will be, appr the sensor housing 500 wnthin the drain ae previo along with the sleeve 600.

e i's00 is c--ted to be er than i d sc thate 600 is dislodged d ed trom its no ocidenall) ente ream parboil bads described above may 13e implun orlpti ter ?rug). am may include eamputer node arra:land to i performthe ametions of one or mthe of the various therhoda described A-computer prourcam and/or the cede tor performing such ruciliciis may b frailIF 13230d caned 75% shown in Figure rgthg of the y aY be odate *ed ol b bOdirn Pte hole 6. reduce one is po wided d udt apparatus, such as a comp re,) TThe c d. be, for example, etranic, efeetthitittp conductot System,Era-propaR mediUtr ran eatamp.e, ter dotatdoading the, code Doer i e itettiei. NOTA i ampl es iethIpate-,vreadable medicrn inc3r autniccariductoror solid stst ie mom diSkette, a random access memo ati Optiasi.disk," such as a CD-d-ortiy menu, CD-RAW DVD, as pastas Cod to petibmi one u 'se th thtxvatioas tno is

Claims

CLAIMS1. Apparatus for sensing the level of sewage in a conduit, the apparatus comprising sensing means and communicating means, wherein: the sensing means is fitted to a conduit to sense the level of sewage in the conduit substantially at a legal boundary of a building or of land on which the building is built, the conduit arranged to communicate sewage from the building to a public sewer across the legal boundary, and the communicating means is arranged to communicate with the sensing means to determine whether the level of sewage in the conduit has at least reached a predetermined level and, responsive to this, to communicate information indicative of this to a location remote from the building; the apparatus further comprising a housing for the sensing means, the housing comprising: a first surface having a form arranged to complement a surface of a first sewerage conduit, and a second surface having a form different to the form of the first surface, the second surface arranged to complement a surface of a second sewerage conduit, wherein the housing is arranged to connect to the first sewerage conduit at the first surface or connect to the second sewerage conduit at the second surface.
Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the sensing means projects into the conduit.
3. Apparatus according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the sensing means comprises a sensor and the sensor projects into the conduit substantially at the legal boundary.
4. Apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein the sensing means is operable to generate a signal indicative of the sensor not being in contact with liquid.
5. Apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein the communicating means communicates with the sensing means under the control of control means, the control means arranged periodically to operate the sensing means such that the sensing means generates a signal received by the control means indicative of the level of sewage in the conduit not having reached the predetermined level.
6. Apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein the communicating means communicates with the remote location under the control of the control means, and, in response to receiving a signal from the sensing means indicative of the level of sewage having at least reached the predetermined level and/or in response to receiving no signal from the sensing means when operated, the control means arranged to wait for a period of time before controlling the communicating means to communicate with the remote location and/or before operating the sensing means again
7. Apparatus according to any preceding claim and further comprising a source of stand-alone electrical power.
8. Apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the source comprises energy storage means' and/or wherein the source comprises electricity generating means.
9. Apparatus according to any preceding claims, wherein, the control means and/or the communicating means is housed remote from the conduit.
10. Apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the control means and/or the communicating means is housed above ground.
I I. Apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein the remote location is at a private company with responsibility for maintaining the public sewer.
12. Apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein at least one of the first and second surfaces is a curved surface.
13. Apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the at least one of the first and second surfaces that is curved is convex for mounting the housing on an internal surface of the respective conduit.
14. Apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the at least one of the first and second surfaces that is curved is concave for mounting the housing on an external surface of the respective conduit.
15. Apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein the at least one of the first and second surfaces comprises a hole for a portion of the sensing means to project through.
16. Apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein at least one of the first and second surfaces is a flat surface.
17. Apparatus according to any preceding claim, further comprising at least one connection element for connecting the housing to a sewerage conduit.
18. Apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the first and second surfaces each have associated connection elements for connecting the respective surface of the housing to the respective conduit.
19. Apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the associated connection elements are lugs through which a screw is feedable for clamping the housing to a respective conduit.
20. Apparatus according to any one of claims 17 to 19, wherein at least one of the at least one connection elements comprises adhesive arranged to connect a respective surface of the housing to a respective conduit.
21. Apparatus according to claim 20, wherein the at least one connection element is a flexible pad having adhesive on a first and a second side, wherein the first side is arranged to connect to one of the first and second surfaces of the housing and the second side is arranged to connect to the respective conduit.
22. Apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein the surfaces are external surfaces of the housing that provide a water-tight housing for electronic components of the apparatus.
23. Apparatus according to any preceding claim, further comprising a mounting device arranged to be inserted into a conduit for supporting the housing within the conduit.
24. Apparatus according to claim 23, wherein the mounting device is a duct arranged to be inserted within the drain so that, in use, the housing is held between the mounting device and the internal surface of the conduit, wherein the duct is arranged for sewage to pass therethrough.
25. Apparatus according to claim 24, wherein the duct is cylindrical.
26. Apparatus according to claim 25, wherein the duct is formed from a sheet.
27. Apparatus according to any one of claims 24 to 26, wherein the duct comprises a hole through which at least a portion of the sensing means is arranged to project for sensing a level of sewage.
28. A method of operating apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein the method comprises the steps of the control means periodically operating the sensing means to ascertain whether or not the level of sewage has at least reached the predetermined level and then communicating information indicative of this to the remote location.
29. A method according to claim 28, wherein the information indicative is in the form of an alarm.
30. A method according to claim 29, wherein the alarm message is communicated wirelessly.
31. A method according to claim 28, wherein the information indicative of this is in the form of data indicating whether or not the level of sewage has at least reached the predetermined level and optionally the time of day at which this was ascertained.
32. A method according to claim 3 I, wherein the data is communicated wirelessly.
33. A method according to any one of claim 28 to claim 32, wherein the method comprises the step of periodically operating the sensing means to ascertain whether or not the level of sewage has at least reached the predetermined level and, on ascertaining that it has reached the predetermined level, communicating information indicative of this.
34. A method according to claim 33, wherein the method comprises the step of, on ascertaining that the level of sewage has reached the predetermined level, operating the sensing means again to check this after a predetermined delay.
35. A method according to any one of claim 28 to claim 34, wherein the method comprises the control means resending the information upon not receiving confirmation information indicative that the information communicated by the control means has been received at the remote location.
36. A method according to claim 35, wherein the method further comprises communicating to the remote location that the confirmation information has not been received.