Expanding Capabilities: Routine ROV Use Across Industrial and Municipal Systems

PW MAKAR uses its Deep Trekker ROVs for a wide range of internal inspections, particularly in hard-to-reach or dangerous environments. Their fleet includes various utility ROV crawlers and underwater systems capable of inspecting:

• Carbon steel, stainless steel, and FRP tanks and vessels
• Internal linings of potable water towers and standpipes
• Underground and above-ground piping systems
• Stacks, towers, and filter bed underdrains in water treatment facilities

These inspections focus on detecting early signs of substrate corrosion, lining degradation, and structural faults before catastrophic failure occurs. In many cases, inspections are conducted without shutting down operations, preserving uptime and reducing disruption.

Solving Industry Challenges: Minimizing Downtime, Improving Safety

Traditional inspection methods for water towers and standpipes were not only physically demanding and dangerous - often requiring technicians to climb structures with handheld cameras - but also costly, time-consuming, and limited in what they could reveal below the waterline.

“Back then,” Paul Makar explained, “What we were doing was climbing towers with a 35mm camera and a big flash, trying to get as much depth as possible in the images. At the time, there were no real underwater ROV cameras - this was all we had. So, whatever you could see was limited to what the camera captured as you looked down into the water tower and along the sides. Above the waterline was fine, but below it, that was all we could manage. We did that for years. Eventually, underwater cameras started to appear, then ROVs, and that’s how things progressed from there.”

“We started with camera systems from the United States - underwater ROVs - but they kept breaking down,” Paul continued. “They were incredibly unreliable. We were constantly shipping them back and forth for repairs, which caused job delays and created all kinds of problems. Then I stumbled across Deep Trekker - and that solved everything.”

With Deep Trekker ROVs, PW MAKAR was the first inspection company in Ontario to perform underwater ROV, CCTV inspections of potable water towers and standpipes interior lining systems and their components (ladders and associated piping systems), eliminating the need for service outages or secondary water supply arrangements for fire protection.

The ROVs address several key challenges:

• Corrosion and Lining Integrity: Inspections detect coating or lining failures in steel and FRP tanks, towers, and pipes, allowing for preventive repairs.
• Foreign Material Exclusion (FME): During new construction, the ROVs identify foreign materials left in piping systems - work gloves, tools, fasteners, nuts and bolts, fire blankets, hard hats - that could interfere with piping valve systems or instrumentation.
• Potable Water Inspections Without Shutdowns: Traditional inspections of municipal potable water towers required draining and decommissioning the tank.

Towns, Municipalities and Cities with potable water towers, and standpipes are mandated to have their internal lining systems inspected regularly. In the past to facilitate that authorization these potable water towers and standpipes were taken out of service for physical entry and inspection. This was both costly and very disruptive to the communities. Alternative water sources were needed to ensure the fire departments had sufficient water during the brief inspection outage.

How PW MAKAR Discovered Deep Trekker: A Campground Conversation Turned Game Changer

PW MAKAR’s first encounter with Deep Trekker wasn’t through a trade show or cold call - it started in the most Canadian way, around a campfire.

“I was in a campground in Algonquin Park,” recalled Paul Makar. “One of my good friends was there, and his son works for Ontario Hydro. He mentioned that they had a Deep Trekker representative visit their site. I said, ‘Oh yeah? Where are they located?’ He told me, Kitchener, Ontario.”

Initially skeptical, Paul was surprised to hear of an ROV manufacturer based in the province. “I thought, no way - there are no ROV companies in Ontario. Trust me, I would’ve known,” he said. But once he confirmed the company’s location and product line, he wasted no time.

“I was blown away. The very first thing I did when I got back, after unpacking the camper, was call Deep Trekker,” Paul continued. “I explained what we were looking for and asked if they had the systems we needed. I went down to their facility, looked at the ROVs, and bought our first one right then.”

That campground conversation became a pivotal moment for PW MAKAR, introducing them to a Canadian-made solution that would reshape their inspection services. The initial contact was with Cody Warner, who, as Paul later learned, had been with Deep Trekker since its early days and is now Commercial Vice President, leading the sales team.

This informal discovery marked the beginning of a long-standing relationship and a new chapter in how PW MAKAR approached internal infrastructure inspections.

Operational Features: High-Resolution Imaging, Versatile Lighting, and Modular Tools

PW MAKAR identified several valuable features of Deep Trekker ROVs, with image quality being a standout feature.

Key features include:

• High-resolution photos and videos simplify reporting and enable detailed analysis by engineers and consultants.
• Advanced Lighting Options: Adjustable, high-intensity lighting allows for clear visual inspections in confined or turbid environments.
• Modular Tools: Deep Trekker’s optional tools help operators address findings in real-time, such as removing foreign objects during an inspection, turning a passive task into a value-added service.

For example, during a standard underwater tower inspection, a foreign material inclusion was identified. With the appropriate tool onboard, PW MAKAR was able to remove the obstruction immediately, delivering added value to the client.

Field Performance: Rugged, Lightweight Equipment for Remote Deployments

Fieldwork often requires inspections in remote or hard-to-reach locations. The durability and portability of Deep Trekker ROVs are essential.

"The Deep Trekker ROV equipment is very durable, lightweight, and very well constructed, this is so very important since some of the locations that we have to deploy the ROVs are very difficult to get to - like the top of water towers and standpipes that are located in rural hamlets, towns and municipalities a long way from the office - so you can’t afford an equipment breakdown."

For example, the DTG3 was deployed by winch up a 33-meter potable water standpipe in a rural community for an underwater lining inspection. Despite the challenging setup, the ROV operated flawlessly.

Fast Adoption: Easy-to-Learn Control Systems

The onboarding experience with Deep Trekker equipment was efficient and straightforward. PW Makar found the control systems intuitive, with consistent interfaces across models, minimizing the learning curve even when switching between different ROV types.

“Learning to pilot the ROVs was a fast and easy process. All waterproof controllers across the Deep Trekker product line have consistent layouts, with only subtle differences in functionality. This design simplifies training and increases field readiness,” noted Joel Willock, Field Manager at PW Makar.

Field Success: Inspecting 60-Year-Old Infrastructure with Precision

In one major project, PW MAKAR used their Pipe Trekker A-150 pipe crawler to inspect aging infrastructure at a large water treatment plant. The scope involved navigating the crawler through 34” (863 mm) concrete piping, making a 90-degree turn, and descending into the underdrain corridors beneath large water filter tanks. These areas had not seen light since the plant's original construction over 60 years ago.

A-150 X Package

PW MAKAR successfully documented the interiors of all twelve underdrain corridors, revealing damage to clay drainage components and dislodged filter sand. The findings allowed the engineering team to prioritize repairs and schedule maintenance more efficiently, resulting in significant cost savings for the municipality by reducing future downtime.

Remote Operations: Clearwell Inspection and Cleaning in a Single Day

In a recent project in a remote First Nations community hundreds of kilometers north of Thunder Bay, PW MAKAR completed an 8-hour mobilization, inspection, and cleaning of a potable water clearwell using a Deep Trekker DTG3 ROV and VAC Utility Crawler robot.

“The scope of work was to fly into the community, inspect and clean the clearwell in one 8-hour day, and fly back to Thunder Bay,” explained Paul.

The operation included:

• Recording and documenting a structural inspection of a concrete clearwell
• Identifying deterioration in concrete and underwater assets
• Remote sediment removal from the tank floor

Equipment used included:

• Deep Trekker DTG3 underwater ROV
• Deep Trekker VAC Utility Crawler

“If we’ve got to come in and remotely clean your reservoir, we’ll start with a complimentary ROV inspection to get the lay of the land inside. Sometimes reservoirs aren’t just simple rectangles or squares - they’ve got different pumps, piping, baffle walls, and everything else in there. It’s important to understand how much sediment is in the clearwell and where it’s located. We’ll go in with the DTG3 first, then remotely remove the sediment using the VAC Utility Crawler. Using both machines in tandem, as complementary tools, is definitely a value-added service,” said Paul.

This project validated the reliability and adaptability of Deep Trekker systems in remote, time-constrained environments.

Paul explained, “We recorded and documented the concrete clearwell structure, identifying any deterioration in the concrete and associated underwater assets such as piping pump, nozzles, cages, ladders, and baffle walls; then remotely cleaned the sediment from the clearwell floor area. All of the equipment by Deep Trekker worked flawlessly in this remote community.”

A Trusted Tool for Industrial and Municipal Inspections

Deep Trekker's ROV systems have become integral to PW MAKAR’s operations, enabling the company to expand its inspection services while improving safety, reducing downtime, and increasing both the scope and frequency of inspections. Their effectiveness in both industrial and municipal environments has proven essential for identifying issues early, documenting internal conditions, and delivering actionable data to engineers and stakeholders.

“PW MAKAR pushes the limits of what remote inspections can be - flying hours on a small aircraft to reach some of the most isolated job sites in the country,” said Daniel Guarini, Account Executive (Central, North American) at Deep Trekker. “Their field experience and input have also been instrumental in helping us refine our VAC system, making it easier and more effective for all of our customers.”

Whether navigating confined underdrains or inspecting remote water systems, Deep Trekker ROVs have provided consistent performance and operational reliability for PW MAKAR. From supporting cost-saving maintenance planning to ensuring regulatory compliance in potable water systems, the equipment delivers high-performance results even in the most demanding environments.

The combination of durability, imaging capability, and tool modularity has enabled PW MAKAR to expand its services and provide high-value inspections that were previously difficult or impossible to perform non-invasively.

“I can’t say enough about the quality of the Deep Trekker equipment!” said Paul.

Deep Trekker’s Expert Guidance and Custom Solutions

Our team consists of highly skilled professionals with extensive industry experience, dedicated to assisting you in integrating submersible robots into your operations seamlessly. Whether your project involves pipeline and infrastructure inspections, water tank maintenance, salvage operations, underwater surveys, search and recovery missions, aquaculture operations, environmental monitoring, marine research, or other specialized applications, we are equipped to cater to your unique requirements and objectives effectively using our state-of-the-art underwater ROV solutions.

Secure Your Deep Trekker Underwater ROV Today

When you're ready to secure your very own Deep Trekker vehicle, feel free to contact us, and we'll be happy to provide you with a customized quote tailored precisely to your requirements. Incorporating Deep Trekker ROVs into your underwater operations ensures unmatched safety, efficiency, and success.