The creation of a sustainable infrastructure was an essential part of building the communities that exist around the U.S. However, in recent years, that underground infrastructure has begun to age and break down, leading to damaged and overflowing sewer pipelines across the country. Keep reading to learn more about this issue and the solutions that have been created in response.
Addressing the Aging Infrastructure
With over 3 million miles of pipeline, the current water/sewer infrastructure is responsible for properly providing and disposing of water/wastewater. Unfortunately, this aging infrastructure is beginning to cause major issues. A combination of improper maintenance, accidental damage, and temperamental weather conditions have led to significant deterioration and breakage.
According to the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), a water main breaks roughly every two minutes, leading to a loss of about 6 billion gallons of water every day. This major water loss is impacting homes, buildings, and the surrounding environment. Your city may notice the negative impact of aging water infrastructure in a detrimental way when it comes to sewage.
As water mains continue to break across the U.S., this excess water can put a strain on the surrounding sewer pipelines. In some cases, the polluted water may leak into these pipelines and cause rapid deterioration or dangerous sewage leaks from overflow. While the loss of safe water due to the aging water infrastructure is harmful enough, it creates an additional burden on the environment as it impacts the sewer pipelines.
Though many Americans are pushing to address the aging water infrastructure issue and have both water and sewer pipelines replaced, new pipelines come with an exponential cost. In 2021 alone, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) was granted $6.5 billion toward repairing aging underground infrastructure. This budget covers only 76 projects in 25 states, correcting only a small portion of the problem.
The high price of this project has led many engineers and pipeline specialists to reevaluate the way that we handle this issue. New pipe technology and solutions have emerged as a result of the aging infrastructure and the issues it is causing across the U.S.
Water and Wastewater Infrastructure Repair Solutions
As the pressing issues of the aging water infrastructure and damaged sewer pipelines become more urgent, pipeline specialists and engineers are working diligently to innovate new water pipe technology that will provide sustainable rehabilitation.
Additionally, they are working hard to develop advanced technologies that can correct the sewer damage occurring as a result of this aging infrastructure. To address the sewer issue arising across the U.S., specialists like the team at SEKISUI SPR provide trenchless pipeline repair methods to correct the issues. These include:
Spiral Wound Lining
Trenchless PVC lining is a leading method for repairing sewer damage caused by the aging infrastructure. Spiral Wound Lining uses advanced winding technology to insert a PVC liner into an existing pipeline. This trenchless pipeline repair method creates a fully structural pipeline and lengthens a pipeline’s life by a minimum of 50 years.
Spray-in-Place Pipe
Polymeric materials are another top choice for rehabilitating sewer pipelines. With the Spray-in-Place Pipe Lining (SIPP) method, damaged pipelines are coated with these polymeric materials to provide repair to the existing pipeline. This method is additionally useful for pipelines that contain potable water.
Pipe Bursting
In some situations, the pipeline is too damaged to be repaired. When this occurs, pipe bursting may be the right solution. This method involves bursting the original pipeline to make room for a new pipeline instead. Pipe bursting may work best in smaller pipelines where brief service disruption won’t cause major issues.
Cured-in-Place Pipe (CIPP)
The last repair method we’ll mention that is used for repairing aging pipelines is Cured-in-Place Pipe Lining (CIPP). For CIPP, a resin-impregnated tube is pulled into the existing pipeline. UV light or heat is then used to cure the resin and create a structural pipe within the existing pipe.
SEKISUI SPR Solutions
When a sewer pipeline breaks, it can cause serious environmental and structural damage. Once a pipeline is identified as needing repair, it’s essential to contact a specialist as soon as possible to correct the problem.
As a leading innovator in trenchless pipeline repair methods, SEKISUI SPR uses advanced technology to rehabilitate a variety of pipes. Our eco-friendly solutions are sustainable, affordable, and long-lasting. It’s our top priority to ensure that your damaged or aging pipelines are restored back to a functional and secure condition.
Contact SEKISUI SPR to learn more about our solutions and how we can assist with our trenchless lining solutions.
