October 2015 Vol. 70 No. 10
Features
Thompson Pipe Group Capabilities 2015
A Pipeline to the Future
The 2015 California drought is projected to cost the state more than $2.5 billion and over 20,000 jobs. One of its most serious long-term consequences is the reduction in California’s groundwater reserves. This is like dipping into savings to make up for a shortfall in the monthly checking account. It may address the immediate problem, but if the situation persists, the outcome can be devastating.
Much of our water infrastructure is in bad shape and deteriorating rapidly. In 2001, a Director at the Philadelphia Water Department made a statement to a committee of the U.S. House of Representatives, in which he drew attention to the inevitable decay of our aging pipes and the urgent need for rehabilitation and replacement. Things have not changed in the almost fifteen-year interval. If anything, the situation is more acute.
The Growing Challenge
Population demographics and an explosion in the demand for fresh water have put great strain on our water infrastructure. Per capita domestic water use in the U.S. is more than double that of England, and about three times that of Germany, partly because of landscape irrigation. In some regions of the U.S., there is a move toward xeriscaping, a term derived from the Greek word xeros, meaning dry. Lawn grass reduction and the introduction of indigenous, drought-resistant plants can lower demand, but this is really only scratching the surface of the problem. In drought-stricken areas, temporary water rationing is periodically introduced.
Unfortunately, with the need for significant infrastructure investment more pressing than ever, the political climate has seldom been less conducive. When municipal budgets are already stretched to breaking point and beyond, the appetite for long-term infrastructural investment may simply be absent. The electoral system itself does little to encourage the kind of farsighted perspective needed. The benefits of structural investment, which may have to be amortized over many years, can be difficult to weigh against the immediate pressure to balance short-term budgets.
Bursting for Attention
So we face the triple threat of drought and diminishing groundwater resources, population growth coupled with increased per capita consumption, and a political climate frequently characterized by strict budgetary constraints. This might remain an interesting conundrum were it not for the fact that our crops are wilting, the quality of our drinking water is threatened, and our pipes are leaking or bursting.
On an otherwise quiet Tuesday afternoon in Los Angeles last year, a 90-year-old, 30-inch water main suddenly burst, creating a 30-foot-high gusher. An estimated 8 to 10 million gallons of water combined with soil and debris to cover much of the UCLA campus and the surrounding area. Cleanup costs for the institution alone ran in excess of $13 million.
Technology to the Rescue
The good news is that there are solutions that can alleviate at least part of the problem. Developments in available pipe materials together with the expansion of various installation methodologies are giving engineers and local governments options when it comes to the rehabilitation, replacement and expansion of our water infrastructure. With trenchless techniques such as pipe jacking and microtunneling, engineers can now install even large-diameter water pipes with minimum disturbance to existing structures or communities.
New pipes can sometimes be inserted into old pipes. The new pipes are corrosion resistant and the annular space is filled with grouting material. This sliplining methodology, where appropriate, is more economical and faster than previous pipe replacement techniques. Pipe jacking and microtunneling are no-dig techniques that allow engineers to install water and wastewater lines with minimum disturbance to the community.
It’s a Material World
Modern pipe materials provide tough, flexible alternatives that are completely corrosion-resistant and last for many more years than previous options. The unique filament-wound FRP process creates a lightweight, durable product in a wide variety of forms and dimensions. This pipe, marketed under the product name Flowtite®, has been pressure-tested up to an impressive 1,375 psi, which makes it suitable for both freshwater delivery and force main applications, in addition to a broad range of gravity applications.
The one real limitation of an FRP alternative was that the product could sometimes be too fragile for the most demanding jacking operations. This challenge was met by the creation of a concrete pipe lined with FRP, combining the proven strength of concrete pipes with the corrosion resistance of FRP. Pipe lining was previously accomplished on-site using material such as PVC liners. The new product, marketed under the name Flow-CreteTM, offers a fully integrated solution, which is more reliable and durable.
Time to Speak Up
Can technology alone solve the triple threat of drought, demographics and deterioration? Almost certainly, it cannot. But the problem is likely to become even more intrusive as older pipes leak, causing serious contamination issues, or as they simply fail and burst. Will society as a whole continue to shelve the problem?
Let us hope not. We are proud to do our part by providing pipe technology that addresses important industry needs, including that of corrosion. So when pipes are installed, rehabilitated or replaced, they will better stand the test of time, providing reliable service to utilities, municipalities and the public, now and into the future.
1-225-658-6166
www.flowtitepipe.com
The Capabilities Guide is a yearly feature in Underground Construction’s October issue. It is a special advertising section in which advertisers are given free matching space to highlight their company, services and products.
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