ANGLIAN Water has succeeded in carrying out emergency maintenance on a water pipe running underneath a busy road using a pipe renewal liner material developed by technology company 3M.
When the water company discovered a 400mm ductile iron main suffering from internal tuberculation that was causing issues in getting a clear water sample, it worked with main contractor Balfour Beatty to find a solution, arriving at the use of 3M’s pipe renewal liner material Scotchkote 2400. As simply flushing the main would not have removed the material and any aggressive cleaning would cause the tubercles to rupture and lead to high iron levels, Anglian Water had to scrape out the main and then apply a lining to prevent iron bleed.
The efficient repair was a result of a collaboartion between the two companies, with a recent live trial of the solution in a mains renewal scheme in Boston, Lincolnshire. The trial enabled the water company to discover a new way to reline long lengths of pipe more efficiently and with little impact on customers.
This particular pipe renewal liner has been specifically developed for the rehabilitation of potable water pipe infrastructure to extend service life, reduce leaks and improve water quality.
Paul Gamwell, client project manager at Anglian Water said: “The team at 3M were extremely helpful and have provided great support in trialling this product resulting in the subsequent successful emergency application. The data they provided allowed Anglian Water to assess the risks of trialling this new product (e.g. water quality), and the speed at which it sets meant we could control the impact to our customers.”
Mick Renshaw, construction manager at Balfour Beatty comments: “This successful trial identified the learning required to adapt procedures to allow the best productivity from this new technique. The next step will be to confirm its lining capability to withstand the forces from ground movement in high ‘shrink swell’ areas.”
Paul Woolvine of the 3M Electrical Markets Division added: “Scotchkote Liner 2400 from 3M is a very different resin proposition as it offers both water delivery enhancement and structural improvement properties. This was a suitable solution for Anglian Water in this case as it meant faster application and drying times, allowing the pipe to be returned to service in one hour, as well as reduced infrastructure disruption as fewer trenches were required.”
