Raw Water Intake and Screen Inspection

It covers the raw water intake structure, trash racks and screens, bypass or overflow paths, and the associated pump and mechanical conditions that can affect raw water delivery. The form is built to capture visible damage, debris loading, abnormal headloss, leaks, vibration, and any operational restrictions. It also includes sign-off and notification fields so findings are not left as informal notes. Use it as a field inspection record, not a maintenance work order.

Use it on a routine cadence that matches site risk, source water conditions, and plant operating procedures, with additional checks after storms, high debris events, ice, flooding, or unusual turbidity. Facilities with seasonal debris loading often inspect more frequently during those periods. The template is flexible enough for daily rounds, shift checks, or scheduled preventive inspections. If your site has a written SOP, align the frequency to that procedure.

It is typically completed by an operator, maintenance technician, or other trained staff member familiar with the intake system and site access controls. A competent person should be assigned where access hazards, confined spaces, or energized equipment are present. The reviewer or supervisor sign-off field helps confirm that abnormal conditions were escalated. If your site uses contractors, the template can still be used as the field record, but internal review should remain in place.

Yes, it supports documentation practices commonly expected under OSHA general industry safety requirements, ANSI/ASSP safety program practices, and water utility operating procedures. It is also useful for facilities that need to show preventive attention to intake reliability, access safety, and mechanical condition. The template is not a substitute for a site-specific compliance program, but it creates a defensible record of observed conditions and corrective actions. If your intake area includes electrical or lockout-tagout hazards, pair it with the relevant safety procedures.

The biggest mistake is marking items as acceptable without recording the actual condition, such as debris depth, visible damage, or headloss trend. Another common issue is skipping the bypass or overflow path, which can hide a blockage that affects intake performance. Teams also sometimes note a problem but fail to document who was notified or what action was initiated. This template is designed to prevent those gaps by prompting both observation and follow-up.

Yes, and you should. Add site-specific intake IDs, pump numbers, screen types, alarm setpoints, and any local thresholds for differential pressure, suction pressure, or flow rate. You can also add fields for seasonal debris, ice conditions, fish exclusion devices, or remote telemetry if those are relevant to your operation. Keep the core walk-through order intact so the inspection still follows the physical path of the system.

An informal log often misses critical details like screen headloss, bypass blockage, or whether a defect was escalated. This template standardizes the inspection so the same conditions are checked every time and the results are easier to trend over time. It also creates a cleaner handoff between operations and maintenance. For recurring intake issues, that consistency is usually more valuable than free-form notes.

Yes. Findings can be routed into a CMMS, work order system, or digital operations log after the inspection is completed. The sign-off and corrective action sections make it easy to trigger maintenance follow-up for debris removal, screen repair, seal replacement, or pump troubleshooting. If you use a mobile inspection app, this template can be mapped to required fields and photo attachments.