Prechlorinated pipe bursting provides new water mains without disturbing residents

Problem: Bloomfield Village in Oakland County, Michigan, was ready to replace water mains, but it wanted to do so with minimal interruption of water service to local residents. Space along street rights-of-way was also limited, so officials wanted to limit excavation.

Solution: The village specified prechlorinated pipe bursting replacement in its plans and chose to upgrade the existing mains with 8- and 12-inch HDPE pipe. Pipe bursting specialist Bidigare Contractors was chosen for the job. For bursting operations Bidigare used its own hydraulic pipe bursting machine from the HammerHead Trenchless Equipment Hydroburst line. Although the machine was capable of up to 100 tons of pulling force, Bidigare said the average burst required only about 20 tons.

Result: Bidigare Contractors replaced between 200 and 500 feet of pipe a day using this method. Residents were never without water service aside from the day the work was done. Bidigare is on schedule for completion of the project in mid-2017. 800/331-6653; www.hammerheadtrenchless.com.

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Unit helps pull new HDPE pipe through collapsed clay main

Problem: A residential customer in Germantown, Tennessee, was experiencing slow drains. Upon investigating, plumbers found extensive root infiltration in the home’s main sewer line. They also discovered that the house had an old clay pipe that was collapsing and needed total replacement. Due to the condition of the pipe, relining was not an option. There were also several large, mature trees in the front of the home, coupled with a large landscaped berm forming a natural water barrier. Traditional approaches to trenching and replacing the sewer pipe were not possible.

Solution: The Spartan UnderTaker flawlessly pulled the new pipe through the old clay pipe — something that would have been nearly impossible without the proper equipment. In less than three hours, over 90 feet of failing clay sewer main was replaced with a new 4-inch HDPE pipe.

Result: The unit helped the homeowner avoid thousands of dollars in landscaping repairs. The home’s occupants continued to use their sinks, showers and bathroom as the plumbing techs performed repairs on the line. While this was great for the homeowners, it is also a fit for commercial properties, such as supermarkets, where a complete closure would mean the loss of revenue. 800/435-3866; www.spartantool.com.