Waste management and cleaning specialist Enviro-Clean has taken delivery of a Mercedes-Benz Arocs 3258 for sewer, pipeline and drain cleaning duties.
It is fitted with a 15,000-litre stainless steel tank and a Wiedemann KW4500 liquid ring vacuum pump. The latter has a suction capacity of 4,500cu m per hour and can be deployed across a 180-degree range via a main boom and reel with 20m of suction hose.
It also features an automatic continuous water recycling system and a URACA P4 pump, which can deliver 541 litres per minute at up to 175 bar and allows the operator to reuse water pumped from a sewer – rather than feeding directly from the drinking water supply – reducing water consumption and waste.
Supplied and serviced by dealer Western Commercial, it’s powered by a 580hp 15.6-litre engine, has a single front axle, a double-drive bogie and a steering axle at the rear, which is said to make it as manoeuvrable as a 6-wheeler.
“Fuel consumption is difficult to measure in a meaningful way for a truck like this, as the engine’s PTO (power take-off) also runs the auxiliary equipment,” said Enviro-Clean’s operations manager Mark Donaghy. “However, the powertrain of this Arocs makes it one of the most efficient vehicles we’ve ever had.
“The steered back axle helps the driver to get in and out of tight spots and means the truck can access locations at which a standard 8x4 would struggle.
“Assuming full usage, it’s estimated that this could save up to 15 million litres of water per year and eliminate the carbon footprint of the industrial process that would be needed to replace that loss. Given that its capacity and power allows the Arocs to do the work of two or more vehicles, the potential for reducing the impact of our operations on the environment is considerable.”
