PCC First to Use Pipe Renewal Technology

Porirua City Council is the first in New Zealand to use a state-of-the-art structural lining system to upgrade the city’s aging pipes. The process involves relining old mains pipes with an internal structural liner that results in a high quality structural pipe inside the older pipe.

“Our Council has had the renewal of core infrastructure at the heart of its decision making and one of the challenges is renewing our aging water networks,” say Mayor Nick Leggett.

“To do this well, we need to be at the fore front of modern technology. Much of our infrastructure was laid 60 years ago when Porirua was a little town. It’s very different today and we need to think outside the square if we’re to renew our infrastructure at reasonable cost and without too much disruption to residents and motorists. By using this technology our Council can do a lot more, for less money, more quickly and with fewer disruptions and in the end we have a high quality renewed water infrastructure.”

The Council will be renewing the original water main that was laid in the 1950s from Arawhata Street on the eastern side of SH1 to Kenepuru Drive on the Western side.

The water main goes underneath SH1, the railway lines, the stop banks and the Porirua Stream. It comes out onto Kenepuru Drive where it helps feed the Western side of the city.

The internal relining of pipes has been used extensively throughout Europe and North America as one of the most acceptable and economical forms of water main renewals, says Council Water and Drainage Engineer Desmond Scrimgeour.

“The conventional methods of “dig and lay” are fast becoming redundant. There are ever increasing costs and long delays associated with the consents processes, cutting up of roads and carriageways, locating or possibly hitting other utilities, traffic and site management, and general disruption of services due to the time it takes to complete such projects.”

The benefits of internally relining old mains with a structural liner include:

• Cost can be up to 40% cheaper than traditional methods
• Minimal requirements and costs associated with resource consents
• Minimal traffic management and disruption
• Little excavation compared to traditional open cut
• Adjacent infrastructures or utilities not disturbed by the work
• Utilising existing infrastructure rather than having “abandoned” pipes
• Roads are not compromised
• Fewer disruptions to residents and commuters during work period
• Work time frames dramatically reduced
• Easier access to difficult to reach pipes
• Increased pressure and flow capacity
• Corrosion resistant
• No future maintenance required.

ENDS

© Scoop Media