Innovative tech renews ageing pressure pipelines

When faced with kilometres of old water and pressure pipelines, a new solution is needed. Asset owners need a practical, long-term, and sustainable solution – and they may have found a sustainable outcome.

When faced with kilometres of old water and pressure pipelines, a new solution is needed. Asset owners need a practical, long-term, and sustainable solution – and they may have found a sustainable outcome.

Primus Line, a flexible liner reinforced with aramid fabric, is getting buzz for all the right reasons. This technology provides a practical, high-quality lining solution for ageing pressure pipelines that is both environmentally friendly and cost-effective.

Fergus Meyer is a Project Manager at Interflow, a provider of pipeline infrastructure solutions, and understands the challenges asset owners face when tackling the problem of ageing infrastructure.

“Many projects have been sitting in ‘too hard’ baskets for years. They have been waiting for the right technology and delivery partner to come along,” he said. “Environmental constraints, budget limitations and delivery risk are all factors that can stop a project from getting off the ground,” said Meyer.

“The key is engaging suppliers early and coming up with solutions together. So is keeping an open mind to alternate proposals at the time of tender. This can really open the door to affordable and eco-friendly solutions, like Primus Line.”

Partnership between Interflow and Primus Line

Interflow has partnered with Primus Line to provide an innovative system to the Australian and New Zealand markets. After signing a five-year exclusivity agreement, both companies have made an impact throughout the year. They have worked together to rehabilitate some of Australia and New Zealand’s most challenging pressure pipelines.

At the time of the signing, Interflow’s Managing Director Elect, Daniel Weaver, was confident that the partnership would benefit both organisations’ customers and communities.

“Interflow and Primus Line are both family-owned companies that share similar core values,” he said. “These synergies combine with our drive to solve customers’ problems by using innovative and cutting-edge technologies. It will enable us to continue to deliver reliable outcomes for our customers and the communities we serve.”

Peter Lischewski, Managing Director of Primus Line, pointed to the significance of this partnership.

“This is a fantastic opportunity for both companies to demonstrate their commitment to innovation and producing high-quality outcomes,” said Lischewski. “By signing this exclusivity with Interflow, we are ensuring that our product will be expertly installed with extreme care, consistency, and attention to detail each and every time. We have a strong relationship with Interflow and look forward to working together to provide our customers with world-class solutions.”

Primus Line in action on pressure pipelines

Late in 2022, Interflow was challenged to rehabilitate a deteriorating section of steel water pipe supplying the remote mining town of Paraburdoo. The pipeline runs through an area of environmental and cultural significance, so a non-invasive solution was needed. Using Primus Line, Interflow relined a kilometre of water main in a single pull, meaning no digging or disturbance along the alignment.

The project took just over a week, and only a single truck was needed to transport the spool of liner and associated fittings. This is a significant benefit when the nearest major city of Perth is 1,500km away.

More recently, Interflow used Primus Line to rehabilitate and recommission two out-of-service sewer mains in Sydney’s Inner West. Limited access to the alignment and the presence of both vertical and horizontal bends ruled out conventional solutions like slip lining and pipe bursting.

Primus Line handles bends up to 45 degrees easily, making it a suitable candidate for the job. Interflow returned the two mains to service with minimal disruption to the busy residential and commercial community.

Challenging projects around pressure pipelines

One of Interflow’s more challenging projects this year involved 1.4km of the Mt Cole pipeline. It transports raw water from the Mt Cole Reservoir to Ararat, Victoria. The rehabilitated section of the pipeline can now deliver up to half of Ararat’s raw water supply from the Mt Cole Reservoir. It is an integral part of the East Grampians Rural Water Supply Project.

The Mt Cole pipeline is located deep within a state park and traversing steep and rocky terrain. As such, replacing the pipeline would have been a costly exercise with unacceptable environmental risk. The rugged location left little access to the alignment of the pipe.

Primus Line was installed in one continuous pull with access only to the ends of the line. This marked the longest single pull of Primus Line in Australia to date and opened the opportunity for longer pulls of a similar nature in the future.

The project recently won an Infrastructure Project Innovation award from the Australian Water Association in Victoria in collaboration with water utility GWMWater.

Ready to support future needs

There is a growing need for asset owners to look for innovative ways to address rising costs, resource availability and the need to support net-zero targets.

As Australia moves towards 2023 and beyond, technology like Primus Line presents an opportunity for the water industry to overcome these issues and extend the life of ageing infrastructure for decades.

Who is Interflow?

Interflow is an Australian and New Zealand provider of trenchless pipeline solutions. It is home to several patented products and technologies aimed at renewing pipeline infrastructure. Interflow is heavily involved in the 4 Waters – water, wastewater, stormwater, and culverts. It is renowned for its forward-thinking approach to innovation.

For more information, visit https://www.interflow.com.au/

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