NASSCO Training
Sewer Knowledge travels throughout the USA to train you and the rest of your team! Contact us for details and pricing!
As a proud partner of NASSCO (the National Association of Sewer Service Companies), we offer training, certification, and recertification classes for PACP, MACP, and LACP (Pipe Assessment Certification Program, Manhole Assessment Certification Program, and Lateral Assessment Certification Program).
PACP Certification
What is PACP?
The Pipeline Assessment Certification Program is a highly-acclaimed set of standards that’s been widely used throughout North America for over 15 years. Through a partnership with the Water Research Centre (WRc), the National Association of Sewer Service Companies (NASSCO) developed four “families” or groups of codes to describe features, defects and conditions in underground pipes. The four groups of observations are:
Structural: such as fractures or broken sections of pipe.
Operation & Maintenance (O & M): such as grease and debris deposits, or root infiltration.
Construction Features: such as the location and type of tap (service) connections.
Miscellaneous: such as special conditions of the survey (camera underwater) or the pipe’s water level(s).
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Why Use PACP?
Since the 1980s and 90s, CCTV and digital scanning cameras have been commonly used to inspect the condition of underground sewer pipes. Applying PACP observations to identify defects and conditions in the pipe will not only render a detailed report that follows the industry standard of quality and objectivity, but it enables a numerical Condition Rating (1 through 5) for each pipe surveyed, allowing asset managers and engineers to quickly prioritize maintenance, cleaning, and rehabilitation projects, as well as long-term capital improvement strategies. A PACP Quick Score is also available, which describes how many of each kind of defect (and their severity) identified by the operator – allowing more detail than just the Condition Rating, while still providing a simplicity and efficiency. Unlike so many other methods of sewer condition assessment, PACP offers objective numerical scoring, which is critical to enabling asset managers to rank, filter, and prioritize operations and funding allocation.
How Do I Get My PACP Certification?
Sewer Knowledge Services can help you! We regularly hold PACP certification courses. PACP certification is a 2-day (17-19 hours total) class where material is presented alongside example photos and video from pipe inspection data of conditions and defects in sewers. Class discussions about how best to calibrate, set up, and operate a sewer inspection camera, as well as review of all the NASSCO material, plus some informal quizzes on the major sections are followed by a final test on the second day. An 85% score or better gets you a PACP certification, which is good for 3 years.
Sewer Knowledge Services is based in Seattle, WA and per-student pricing is based off of standard NASSCO rates, travel costs to your location vary based on location and/or class size.
*Contact us* for more information and for a training quote!
MACP & LACP Certification
What are MACP and LACP?
MACP stands for Manhole Assessment Certification Program, and LACP stands for Lateral Assessment Certification Program. They are both extensions of PACP certification, and are offered as add-ons to those who also hold PACP certification (PACP is a pre-requisite for manholes and laterals). Typically MACP & LACP certifications are held in a single day, and can be included as the third day of a PACP training course.
Manhole Assessment Certification Program
NASSCO has developed a program for reporting defects and features of manholes which adheres to the basic PACP format, while taking into account that manholes typically are more complex structures than pipes, and includes two separate protocols for manhole inspection, depending on the needs of the utility owner. The Level 1 inspection is a basic condition assessment of the manhole (which does not require confined space entry or remote equipment), while the Level 2 inspection fully documents features, dimensions, and defects throughout the manhole, and generally requires remote equipment and/or entry into the manhole.
Lateral Assessment Certification Program
Once PACP spread in use and popularity, it became clear that it would be simple and beneficial to apply PACP (mainline pipe assessment) to sewer laterals (also called side sewers). The LACP content addresses some of the key differences between laterals and mainline pipes (primarily the various lateral fittings and access methods), but very closely follows PACP, and retains nearly all of the PACP observation codes. The LACP enables asset owners to address the condition and maintenance of sewer laterals, in addition to mainline pipes and manholes.
How Do I Get My MACP & LACP Certification?
Sewer Knowledge Services regularly holds training classes for MACP & LACP, either as an add-on third day to an existing PACP class, or as a one day only class for those who already have PACP certification. Sewer Knowledge Services is based in Seattle, WA and is willing and able to travel anywhere throughout the US and US territories. Per-student or per-class costs depend on travel expenses to your location as well as the class size.
*Contact us* for more information and for a training quote!
