According to City of Brownwood Director of Public Works David Harris, North American Specialty Products called to invite the city to be a part of the field trial of the new product, offering in exchange the supply of the new 8-inch Certa-Flo Straight Shot piping at no cost to the city. The Certa-Flo Straight Shot pipe was installed using trenchless technologies.
The City of Brownwood was chosen to do the trial run of the pipe due to the city crews’ extensive experience in pipe bursting.
“Because of our 6 plus year track record of using similar pipe, we were offered the chance to be the first again. We like being the leader,” said Harris.
Mark Montgomery, Industry Specialist/Account Executive with North American Pipe Corporation explained how Brownwood was the ideal partner in this trial installation project.
“The City of Brownwood has done 8 miles of pipe bursting, which is more than most cities. So we wanted to go with a city that had some experience with this type of installation,” Montgomery explained. “They have a very experienced crew using the application and technology that they have in house. The level of their expertise is ideal – they know our product as good as we do.”
Harris explained that the city is getting the pipe at no cost for taking the risk of using a product that has never been used before.
“We’re taking the risk if it doesn’t work, but I know it will work or we wouldn’t be doing it,” said Harris.
The trial project replaces 440 feet of the pipe, which saves the city in several ways. The cost of the pipe is $10 per foot, which equals $4400 in supply savings plus the way it is installed saves about 85% of the cost of labor as well. The total project savings is approximately half as compared to traditional sewer line replacement according to Harris. Wednesday’s installation project was moving at a rate of 7 feet per minute mid-morning, which is much faster than having to dig many trenches to install other types of PVC materials.
The savings of labor comes from the way the pipe is installed. This particular product has a flush design, being even at its joints. The female and male ends of the pipe come together without any bell and connect on the inside of the pipe with a gasket, locking into place with a nylon spine. The pipe is pushed through the pathway of the existing pipe, either through it or with a pipe bursting method (which was utilized Wednesday morning) that destroys the old pipe pushing it out of the tunnel as the new pipe is pushed through as a replacement. Montgomery explained that the pipe product is also very unique in that it can be installed by pushing or pulling the pipe through the desired location.
The PVC material has a very good longevity, having a life of over 100 years, and offers a product that will not corrode.
Pictured above crews install 440 feet of new sewer pipeline. Below are photos of the trial installation.
Crews put pipes together then slide through the existing pipe’s pathway.
The Certi-Flo Straight Shot piping makes a flush connection.
The connecting spine is placed into the pipe to hold the flush connection of the pipe in place.
