AGE OF WATER MAINS CRACK

The buildup of scale from calcium, iron, and manganese inside the pipe interferes with its flow capacity and also affects the taste and quality of water. Regular maintenance of water mains is necessary to remove sediments and maintain the quality of water. Water mains carry potable water from water pumping stations to homes, businesses, schools, and industries.

Pipe rehabilitation often involves the sliplining of HDPE pipes rather than replacement, and water main renewal costs the U.S. Trenchless technology has been effectively applied to the rehabilitation of water main pipes by use of cured-in-place pipes, sliplining, robotic pipe repair, and more. Trenchless techniques have been very successful in the rehabilitation of older water main pipes.

These pipes are now being replaced with ductile iron or plastic pipes like high-density polyethylene (HDPE) and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) that are flexible, and resistant to corrosion and abrasion.

AGE OF WATER MAINS CRACK

Old water mains made from cast iron can be brittle and often crack due to their inability to expand and contract with temperature changes. This not only changes the color, odor, and taste of the water, it also reduces its flow velocity and capacity. Water mains have been flagged as critical issues in aging utility infrastructures in developed countries.Īn old water main, especially galvanized iron exposed to groundwater containing iron and manganese can cause a build-up of hardened scale inside the pipe. Water mains can be subject to various wear and tear issues including tuberculation, faulty joints, inadequate hydraulic capacity, and corrosion. The pipes transport a high volume of water under pressure to neighborhoods that are depending on water mains to bring them clean water from the city's water treatment facility. Water mains take clean water from a city’s water treatment plant to communities that need it and is, therefore, a critical part of a nation’s utility infrastructure.

It is a major artery that supplies water to smaller pipes on the way to homes and businesses. A water main is a primary underground pipe in a municipal water distribution system.