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Zion Marine
Capability · Water & Wastewater Diving

Diving for live, operating water systems.

Potable and contaminated-water diving performed on active treatment, distribution and collection infrastructure, without requiring the facility to shut down when possible.

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Commercial diver working in contaminated water at a treatment facility.
Potable
& Contaminated-Water Capable
Live
Often Without Shutdown
ADCI
Certified Divers & Supervisors
Documented
Inspection & Reporting
Overview

The plant keeps running.

Draining a tank, clearwell or wet well means losing storage, taking process capacity offline and managing the water. Zion Marine works inside operating water and wastewater infrastructure, inspection, cleaning, repair and debris removal with the facility in service.

When this capability is needed.

Potable water environments
  • Potable tanks and clearwells
  • Reservoirs and storage basins
  • Distribution structures
Wastewater environments
  • Wet wells and lift stations
  • Clarifiers and basins
  • Collection structures
Operational triggers
  • Conditions requiring inspection without draining
  • Sediment or debris affecting capacity
  • Component repair in live structures
  • Regulatory or owner-required assessment
Methods and deliverables

Work performed inside water infrastructure.

Depending on the structure and water classification, services may include:

  • Inspection
  • Cleaning
  • Repair
  • Debris removal
  • Gate work
  • Valve work
  • Dredging
  • Documentation
  • Potable: dedicated equipment preparation and decontamination procedures
  • Potable: facility coordination and operational protection
  • Wastewater: equipment and PPE selection
  • Wastewater: surface decontamination procedures
  • All: documented dive plans and crew briefings
Workflow

From site review to a clean handoff.

A structured path from the initial review to a deliverable the owner or engineer can act on.

01

Site & conditions review

Water quality, flow, contamination level and facility operating constraints are reviewed before crew mobilization.

02

Contamination protocol selection

Diving equipment and decontamination procedures are matched to the actual water classification, potable, wastewater, or process water.

03

Live-system execution

Work is performed with the facility operating, coordinated around flow schedules, process timing and staff access needs.

04

Documentation & handoff

Findings, video and condition notes are delivered in a report engineers and operators can act on directly.

Where it applies

Infrastructure and markets this capability serves.

Tanks

Potable storage and treatment tanks.

Clearwells

Finished water storage structures.

Reservoirs

Open and covered storage basins.

Wet Wells

Lift station and pump wells.

Basins

Clarifiers and process basins.

Intakes

Screens, racks and structures.

Outfalls

Discharge structures and lines.

Pipelines

Siphons and submerged crossings.

Water & Wastewater

The primary market for this capability.

View Market

Industrial Infrastructure

Process water and plant intake systems.

View Market

Government & Federal

Public water system infrastructure.

View Market

Dams & Water Control

Reservoir and intake structures.

View Market
Operating conditions

Water classification, flow, access and facility constraints determine the equipment, crew and procedures. Not every condition is acceptable for diving, every project is evaluated individually to determine the appropriate method and operating limitations.

Evaluated per project
  • Water classification (potable / wastewater / process)
  • Contamination level
  • Flow and process timing
  • Access and confined space entry
  • Facility operational constraints
  • Ventilation and atmosphere
  • Decontamination requirements
Surface-supplied diving

Infrastructure work is performed with surface-supplied diving: umbilical gas, voice communication, topside supervision and a standby diver. Why that matters →

In practice

Related water & wastewater diving projects.

Project examples tagged to this capability in the Project Library.

Dive chamber and dive crew on a barge at Lake Tuscaloosa.
Water

Lake Tuscaloosa Water Intake Upgrade

Owner: City of Tuscaloosa · GC: Haren Construction · Tuscaloosa, Alabama · 2024

Removed the existing timber intake and rock ballast and installed a new intake with diver-placed steel formwork, rebar and concrete. Replaced the screen guide rails and the air-valve intake. Surface-supplied air was run from a barge at 110 ft depth with surface oxygen decompression, an on-site chamber, a chamber operator and a dive medical technician on standby.

WaterDeep DivingConstruction
Diver and crew at a gate valve during the JEA Buckman project.
Wastewater

JEA Wastewater Valve & Gate Replacement

Owner: JEA · GC: Wharton-Smith · Jacksonville, Florida · 2022–2024

Contaminated-water diving inside an operating wastewater facility with sealed suits, positive-pressure helmets and surface decontamination. Valve replacement, hydraulic saw cutting of concrete, blind flanges for isolation and sliding gate installation, all performed with the plant in service.

WastewaterContaminated WaterLive System
Crew in protective suits at a wastewater plant during a HAZMAT dive.
Wastewater

Polebridge Wastewater Plant HAZMAT Dive

Owner: DeKalb County · DeKalb County, Georgia · 2024

HAZMAT dive at an operating wastewater plant. Part of Zion Marine's ongoing diving services contract with DeKalb County, now in its tenth year.

WastewaterHAZMATLive System
View Project Library

Licensed general and marine contractor. ADCI-certified divers and supervisors. TRIR 0.0 as of 2026, EMR 0.83 as of 2026. Full credentials on the Qualifications page.

Related resources

Guides on this capability.

Diver entering a manhole at an operating facility.
Project Planning

Diving Without Shutting Down a Facility

How inspection and repair can be planned around live, operating infrastructure.

Read article →
Diver in sealed gear in a wastewater tank with a decon tender.
Commercial Diving

Contaminated-Water Diving: What's Actually Required

Equipment, planning and protocol differences for wastewater and process-water diving.

Read article →
Commercial diver in a helmet preparing to inspect dam
Underwater Inspection

Planning an Underwater Infrastructure Inspection

What to gather before scoping a dive inspection at a treatment facility, dam or bridge.

Read article →
Continuity of service

Live-system work often starts with a condition.

When the submerged condition is unknown, Zion Marine begins with inspection and documentation inside the operating structure, then moves into cleaning, repair or gate work as the findings justify.

Explore Gates, Intakes & Flow Control
What that can include
  • Condition assessment
  • Cleaning and debris removal
  • Gate and valve work
  • Repair scopes
Crane lowering an intake screen at a water treatment facility.
Tell us about the structure and the condition

Need diving on a live water system?

Tell us about the facility and the condition. We'll help determine the right next step.

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