Instead of digging up old sewer pipes and replacing them, the Peachtree City Water and Sewer Authority is turning to new technology that replaces the pipe from the inside.
The Cured In Place Pipe (CIPP) process seals off leaks caused by cracks, fractures, misaligned joints or other problems that are common in every sewer system. CIPP also adds structural integrity to the pipe which extends its useful life span.
WASA recently used contractor Brent Scarbrough and Company for a sewer rehab project on the Planterra Ridge Golf Course to fix lines close to the new Lake McIntosh reservoir. This project is aimed at reducing the risk of any future problems occurring at the site of the reservoir impoundment, officials said.
The environmentally-friendly process also provides a cost-effective way to address capital improvements, WASA officials said.
The CIPP process works by inserting the material into the older pipe and expanding it with an injection of air. The fiberglass material is cured in place by a train of UV light that is pulled through the line.
The end result is no digging is necessary to accomplish the task, officials said.
“From one manhole to another, a sewer line can be completely re-lined to a condition good as new, without the mess or stress to the property or landscape – in this case the golf course at Planterra Ridge,” said WASA General Manager Stephen Hogan We completed this project without incident, and it was a great success.”
With the robotic video inspection of the sewer collection pipes still underway, WASA will use that information to determine where other sewer lines need to be rehabilitated, Hogan said.
“We will continue with other lining projects as we discover needs and as our budget allows,” adds Hogan. “This work will be included in our master planning and future budgets. The lining process is just one of the methods in our toolbox that allows us to maintain and extend the life of the system.”
