The Pressure Pipe Inspection Co., Ltd. (PPIC) announced that it has reached a milestone for the inspection of sewer force mains and siphons with its Sahara technology. Sahara was originally developed for leak detection in pressurized water mains, and is now gaining ground for sewer force main inspections as well.
The company said it has overcome a major challenge in the inspection of sewer force mains as it allows the line to remain in service and inspections to take place at any point in time.
The company said its rapid adoption in the industry was due to its ability to locate the smallest leaks in any pipe material and its ability to successfully locate pockets of trapped gas where hydrogen sulphide gas can build up and deteriorate the inside of the pipe wall. In addition, the company said the actual location of the sewer main can be accurately mapped in real time as the Sahara sensor travels through the pipe.
“The big advantage of Sahara is the fact that it is a tethered system,” said Kevin Laven, technical solutions manager, PPIC. “The operator has complete control and the utility can be confident in the results as they are confirmed in real time. Besides gas pockets and leaks, the Sahara system has been able to identify other potential issues for utilities including malfunctioning pumps and heavy turbulence in a sewer main.”
Sahara can be used on sewer force mains of any diameter larger than 6 in. and is another tool from PPIC aimed to help municipalities determine the true condition of their underground assets and prioritize infrastructure spending.
Source: Pressure Pipe Inspection Co., Ltd.
