PWS is an industry leader in water purification, filtration, reclamation and clean storage.

Your role as a Franchise owner is to ensure a quality service and product are provided, and that the client’s needs are met according to the PWS methodology.

Be aware, however, that you will also need to ensure that you have prepared for jobs where additional equipment/product will be required.

Water Tanks are nowadays found in both rural and urban settings. At present, more consumers are questioning the water quality and water availability being provided by Councils and State Governments. Problem water is a growing concern throughout every region of the world, not just Australia.

Many residential homeowners are switching back to tanks to provide at least some of their water consumption needs. Many homeowners have no choice with dwindling central supplies. The supply of water from centralised sources such as Council and State Government dams are under pressure from the twin evils of drought and population increases.

Through years of development, PWS has established the QuadClean® process for cleaning and disinfecting tanks.

7.1 Task Procedure

To complete this task, you will need to accomplish the following steps:

1Client Data Sheet
2Remove inspection lid
3Water Sample
4Pump Connection
5Light Attachment
6Pump Operation
7Waste Removal

8Blockages
9Post-Vacuuming/Clean up
10Filtering Water
11Tidy-up
12Database Updating
13Invoicing

7.2 Preparation

A key component to the success of Pristine Operators is the processes we adopt. For all aspects of our business, preparation is the first step. Without preparation, it will take you longer to complete tasks, you will look less professional with the customer, and you will create frustrations for yourself that are easily avoidable.

For Tank Cleaning, we have a few essential components in the Preparation step of the process. These include:

Pre-Tank Clean
Equipment/Tools check
Safety Tips, and
Estimated Time Required

7.2.1 Pre-Tank Clean

It is assumed that before you arrive at the customers’ residence that you have provided an Assessment or Quote, and that the customer has agreed to a Tank Clean.

This means you will already have the customer loaded in PODAC, have details of the job/task, and have client details ready for when you arrive at the premises.

Preparation will make the task/job and experience much quicker, and professional in front of the customer. We recommend the following:

Prepare invoice: not all information, such as price etc. Just in case there is an adjustment. However, you can pre-fill in the customers details and scheduled tasks
Equipment: Make sure that your equipment is in working order, and that you are ready for the job. Fuel for the pump, waste bucket, towels, etc.
Product: having the right products for any situation will save you time and provide opportunity to ‘upsell’ right there. For example; “I can fit a filtration unit/replace filters, right now”.
Evaluate client details within database in preparation for job. Make note of any additional services required, or special circumstances such as difficult terrain, two men required or special requests from client.

For instructions on Assessing/Quoting for a Tank Clean, please refer to Module 5, Section 5.0.

7.2.2 Equipment/Tools Required for Tank Cleaning

For Instructions to use refer to appropriate handbooks.

Equipment	Number	Equipment	Number
Tank Lid lifters	2	Cam lock Adaptor (80mm to 50mm)	1
Broom	1	Stainless vac head	1
Umbrella	1	Expanding vacuum rod	1
Sukamatic	1	Underwater Lights – LEDCOB 15w	1
Measuring jug	1	Battery Pack - 12volt
Client Data Sheet	1	10amp extension lead	1
pH Test Strips	1	Morse 10 metre remote control and ball	1
TDS meter	1	Bucket	1
Trash pump	1	Diffuser section tool	1
80mm lay flat delivery hose + quick couplings, reducer, and adaptors to suit all suction and discharge hoses	1	40mm Anti kinks for hose	1
Ground sheets	2	Protective wear	Gloves etc.
40mm suction hose + quick couplings	1	Water testing kit	1
Azud Filter Unit	1	Cooking Oil	1
Waste Reducer	1	Sanitiser (AqueousPro™™ 50%)	5 litres
AqueousPro™ Portable Aerator/Injector		Paraffin Oil (if required)	1

7.2.3 Safety Tips

Chemicals used: AqueousPro™ 50
Gloves, eyewear and face masks must be worn at all times
Electrical equipment is used in/near water
Carrying/handling of chemicals – not in open container

Refer to Module 3, Section 7.0 for details of Safe Work Practices

7.2.4 Time Required

Ensure sufficient travel time to arrive at job on time
This time required to complete this task will vary depending on size of tank, volume of water held in tank, etc.
Time to next job
Frequency of Cleaning

Size of Tank	Time Expected
5,000 gallon	1 hour to 2 hours
10,000 gallon	1 ½ hours to 3 hours

7.3 Arrival/Set-up

On arrival at the customers’ premises, remember that first impressions last forever.

You may previously have inspected the tank, provided a quote to the customer, or be returning for a repeat tank clean. In which case, you may be familiar with where to locate your truck and gain access to the tank/s and filtration systems.

If not, it is best not to assume you can park your vehicle anywhere.

7.3.1 Meet & Greet

If not previously organised with the customer, park your vehicle in an appropriate spot at the front of the property, where you can approach the front door to contact the customer.

In many scenarios, the customer will see you coming and meet you out front.

Be courteous in your greetings. Again, in most scenarios you will have already met the customer.

Once you have established introductions, you will want to get the job underway.

On arrival at the job, converse with the owner and understand the exact service required, cross referencing with quote
Define suitable area to disperse water from tank

7.3.2 Vehicle Location

Ask the customer where the most appropriate access is for your vehicle.

Are you able to drive the vehicle to the tank, and where are the access points.

If not, where is the most appropriate position for your truck, where you have sufficient accessibility for hoses, pump etc., to be brought onto site.

Check no Overhead electrical cables are in the tank area
Position vehicle as close to job as possible
Unpack vehicle and prepare equipment
Pump suction lift will not exceed 6 meters (at sea level).

7.3.3 Equipment

Once location for vehicle is established, next we need to set-up our equipment.

It is best practice to unpack what you need for the task only. It can become expensive if you continually leave items behind on jobs. You won’t always get them back!

Ensure pump motor is full of fuel, and has oil in sump.
Unload appropriate equipment
Transport to appropriate area (particularly when pump needs to be unloaded and transported to the tank)
Connect hoses and pump
Set-up Vacuum system and Light Assembly.
Note: Low oil will cause the pump engine to fail/shutoff due to the auto shutdown feature.

The following instructions define the standard set-up procedure:

Pump & Hose Connections

Task	Equipment Required
Attach enough 80 mm red lay-flat hose and restrictor to pump discharge, so as to disperse waste water from tank in a suitable area	80mm red lay-flat hose
Unroll hose to this position.
Remove ground sheet and unfold on the ground on the hose reel side of plant.	Ground Sheet
Remove 40 mm flexible suction hose from reel on ground sheet, being careful not to get the hose dirty. Always carry hoses, do not drag them	40mm flexible suction hose
Remove cam lock adaptor [80 mm to 50 mm] and attach 80 mm end to suction inlet on front of pump.	Cam lock adaptor (80mm to 50mm)
Attach cam lock end of 40mm suction hose to 50 mm end of adaptor.
Unroll 40 mm suction hose and take open end to the top of tank.
Take vacuum head supplied and attach to 40 mm suction hose.	Vacuum head
Take expanding rod and attach end with pin into corresponding holes in vacuum head.	Expanding Rod Pin
Lower vacuum head, expanding rod and enough hose to cover tank area, being careful not to stir up residue on tank bottom.

Light Attachment

Task	Equipment Required
Attach INTOVA 1500 underwater lights to expanding rod.
Connect Underwater Light lead to battery pack connections.
Do not operate the light out of water for more than 30 seconds. If water is low, use the provided Head Lamp.

7.4 Operations

It’s now time to get the job done!

There are several steps in this process. These include:

Clearing area of debris
Taking initial water sample
Pump Operation
Waste Removal/Vacuuming
Filtering Water/Disinfecting Tank

7.4.1 Clearing Area

Task	Equipment Required
With the broom provided, carefully sweep the top of the tank to clear all debris	Brush/Broom Umbrella
Remove the tank lid. Be careful not to allow dirt or foreign matter to enter tank. Use Umbrella and Brush provided	Custom lid removal tool
Sweep residue from lid mounting tank lip into dust pan with broom provided making sure rubbish does not enter tank.

7.4.2 Water Sample

Task	Equipment Required
With inspection lid removed take a sample of water with jug provided. Make sure to take samples from the bottom of the tank. This sample will be compared with a sample taken after the tank clean.	Pyrex Jug
If water level is too low to reach, use Sukamatic to withdraw a water sample.	Sukamatic
Observe sample and check odour. It is best practice to record results for future reference.
If a water test has not already been conducted prior to actual Tank Clean, following Water Test instructions from Section 5.0 of this module and record results

7.4.3 Pump Operation

Task	Equipment Required
Prime the pump by filling with water through priming hole in top of pump and plug. (Remember to never run the pump dry)	Very Important
Unroll remote control and advance throttle control to approx. half throttle by twisting remote control clockwise.	Remote Control
Turn on pump fuel by moving leaver on pump control panel forward.
Turn choke leaver to choke position on pump control panel.
Switch on/off switch on rear of pump motor to on position.
Grip starting cord firmly and pull to start pump.
When pump starts release choke leaver.
With pump running, take remote control to the tank.

7.4.4 Waste Removal

Task	Equipment Required
Increase motor revs until water flows from red 80 mm flat hose, reduce revs and vacuum sludge to waste at a steady rate. Ensure that the restrictor is attached to the end of the 80mm hose.
TAKE YOUR TIME as it is most important not to stir up sludge in the bottom of the tank.	Very Important
Blockages
During vacuum process, if vac head becomes blocked by particles of concrete, sticks or leaves etc, using the remote control, reduce engine revs, slowly lift vac head from the bottom of tank and remove blockage by hand, slowly lower vac head and continue to vacuum.
If blockage persists, shut the motor down. Release the female cam lock on the end of your 40mm orange suction hose, and check inside the aluminium housing for the blockage. Remove rubbish, reconnect hose, start motor and slowly lower vac head and continue to vacuum.
Post-Vacuuming/Clean-up
When vacuum process is complete, increase engine revs for approx. 2 minutes to clear any sludge remaining in the hoses.
Reduce engine revs and shut down motor, by turning off on/off switch on motor.
Remove vac head, expanding rods and hose from the tank and place neatly on ground sheet, being careful not to get dirt on any equipment.
Remove front diffuser section from the pump by releasing lock nuts with tool supplied.
Fill bucket supplied with water and clear pump diffuser section and inside of pump body completely of any residue by flushing with water.	Bucket

7.4.5 Filtering Water/Disinfecting Tank

Task	Equipment Required
Replace diffuser section into pump and prime with water.	Bucket or hose Tap
Remove 80 mm red flat hose from pump discharge to ground sheet.
Attach Azud Filter Unit to pump discharge.
Select correct length of 80 mm red flat hose to connect from filter outlet to tank.	80mm red flat hose
Attach 80 mm red hose to filter outlet
Attach Diffuser to hose and lower into tank.
Insert hose into tank hole, ensuring water will flow freely through red lay-flat hose.
Remove cam lock adaptor from front pump suction.
Attach 80 mm (black) suction hose to front pump suction and the other end to galvanised strainer supplied. If distance from plant to tank is too great use 50mm orange suction hose.	80mm (black) suction hose
Lower hose with strainer attached into tank inspection hole.
Start pump as in steps above	Water Pump
With pump running, advance throttle control to approx. 1/3 revs and ensure that water is flowing freely through the filters. Note: high engine revs only increases velocity, not flow rate. Better flow is achieved at lower revs.
Continue to filter water for at least thirty minutes, then with jug supplied take a sample of water returning to the tank and observe closely for clarity. Then take sample of the water from the tank and also observe this for clarity.
If you can detect floating particles in this sample continue to filter water until clarity is observed.
When desired clarity is achieved, calculate the volume of water remaining in the tank by consulting the manual regarding volume of square and round tanks.	Module 5, Appendix 2 & 3
Refer to Section 6.4 of this module for details on how to Disinfect Tanks
Add required amount of sanitiser and filter for approx. ten minutes. Please note: protective gloves, eyewear and facemasks provided must be worn at all times when using chemicals.	Eye wear Face Mask Gloves

During this time remove test strips from container and test water in the tank, comparing colour change on test strips with that on the container. Refer to Section 5.0 for Water Testing instructions and confirm correct dosage.	Water Test Kit
If the home is accessible use test strips and test at least one tap in the house.
When desired sanitisation is achieved shut down motor.
Repeat process as required.
If the customer has informed you of mosquito larvae, you can use the Paraffin oil to create a thin layer on top of the water – once cleaned. This is a safe and effective method compared to traditionally using Kerosene.	Paraffin Oil

7.5 Tidying-up/Invoicing

Now that the operational side of Tank Cleaning is completed, the job isn’t quite finished yet!

We now need to clean up the area, clean and pack our equipment and then provide an invoice to the customer

7.5.1 Pack-Up

Carefully roll up all hoses and pack up equipment being careful to replace them in a clean and tidy manner.

Tag Job with provided PWS stickers

7.5.2 Equipment Check

Ensure all equipment has been replaced to designated area on vehicle. Check around the vehicle, Water Tank, and any areas you have been working to ensure no equipment is left behind.

7.5.3 Pump Cleaning

To avoid rust stains from the pump internals, remove diffuser section from front of pump body and spray with cooking oil, preferably at the end of the day, also spray cooking oil into the steel threaded 80 mm discharge in the top left hand side of the pump.

7.5.4 Invoice

Complete invoice and hand to client.

Hand client Business Card and water filter/UV information brochure if relevant.

7.6 Administration

The final tasks for a Tank Clean Service is all about you managing your business.

The stricter you are in following this process, the easier it will be to manage and grow your business. PWS has developed these processes through many years of trial and error.

Reality is, this works!

We have many successful franchisees who can attest to these processes.

The key tasks include:

Updating the client profile in PODAC
Scheduling a date to contact for follow-up servicing, dependant on the required needs

After completing the job, either at home or from a tablet/phone in the field, enter the details of the job into the “database”.

Refer to Module 2, Section 4.0 for details on how to update client details

7.0 Water Tank Cleaning

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Module 1 - The Franchise System

Module 2 - Administration and PODAC/ITF

Module 3 - Technical Information and OH&S

1.0 Background of the Water Industry

2.0 Australian Drinking Water Guidelines (ADWG) Introduction

3.0 Common Water Borne Diseases

4.0 Chemicals and Substances found in Water

5.0 Pristine Water Systems Chemicals and Treatments

6.0 Water Testing/Analysis & Results

7.0 Industry Certifications

8.0 Safe Work Australia / Workplace Health & Safety / Occupational Health & Safety

9.0 Filtration & Ultraviolet Products

10.0 Types of Tanks

11.0 Other PWS Products & Equipment

12.0 Glossary of Terms

Module 3 - Appendix

Module 3 Quiz

Module 4 - Operations - Standards

1.0 Introduction

2.0 The PWS Process

3.0 Planning your Work Schedule

4.0 Planning Product Ordering

5.0 Water Testing

6.0 AqueousPro™ 50 Water Sanitiser

7.0 Water Tank Cleaning

8.0 Filtration / Sterilisation Supply (Assembly)

9.0 Ongoing Service and Maintenance

10.0 PWS Standards

11.0 AqueousAir™ Assembly & Installation Instructions

Module 4 - Appendix

Module 4 Quiz

Module 5 - Sales, Marketing, Quoting & Invoicing

1.0 Introduction

2.0 Advertising & Marketing

3.0 Selling PWS / Selling Yourself

4.0 Assessments & Quoting

5.0 Invoicing

Module 5 Appendix

Module 5 Quiz

Module 6 - Equipment Maintenance

1.0 Introduction

2.0 Vehicle Maintenance

3.0 Equipment Maintenance

Module 6 Quiz

In-Field Quick Reference Guide Content