‘Thing a ma‐bob’ Probes New Depths at Utility

The use of polymers combined with the inadequacies of conventional surface wash‐aided backwashing lends itself to the formation of mudballs and adhering debris throughout the anthracite and sand layers of the media. Air scour‐aided backwash has better properties to deal with this problem but has difficulty incorporating them into a surface wash system. The Thing‐a‐ma‐bob is a hydropneumatic probe designed to break up mudballs and polymerized debris that accumulate in the media and are resistant to conventional backwash forces. This article lists the materials needed to build such a device, the costs involved, and instructions on assembly and usage.