By Brett Hanes
The many challenges facing municipal water systems across the U.S. have been well documented. The aged and fragile condition of these systems is resulting in frequent water main breaks, damage to roadways and other infrastructure, poor water quality, and significant wasted water.
According to the American Society of Civil Engineers, pipe breaks and leaks account for an estimated loss of 7 billion gallons of water each day across the country. Further, the nation's drinking water system was given a grade of D by the society in a recent report.
Using Team InsertValves, the city of South Orange, NJ, was able to get its water system back in operation in less than a day.
Municipalities often turn to insertion valves to meet the maintenance, repair and capital improvement challenges they face. One such product is the Team InsertValve™, a fully-functioning gate valve with a resilient wedge gate. The valve fully closes on the valve body and provides a clear, unobstructed waterway under full-rated working pressure.
The insertable valve is designed to accommodate full water and wastewater system hydraulic forces up to 250 psi. Moreover, the valves meet ANSI/AWWA C515 material standards, eliminate backflow contamination, purging and bac-t hits, and can be oriented in any position on any type of pipe, including ductile iron, steel, cast-iron, AC, and PVC.
The valves offer a variety of advantages over other brands of insert valves, including the ability to install and repair pipes under pressure, up-size undersized mains and enable capital improvements as planned.
The InsertValve is uniquely suited for capital improvements because it provides instant valve control while allowing for the later removal of downstream piping, including the upsizing of piping without system disruption.
Case Study
The ability of Team's InsertValve to be installed under pressure can eliminate costly system disruptions and product waste. The proof of this statement is seen in the case of a 100-year-old piping structure in South Orange, N..J. The aged and deteriorating cast-iron pipe was clearly marked with the date 1912.
On Nov. 9, 2012, a section of this aging infrastructure ruptured. The municipal water crew attempted to isolate the break by shutting off a series of century-old, timeworn gate valves. However, the attempts were futile.
Todd Zartman of Carner Brothers was contacted to install a Team InsertValve on either side of the break to isolate the area of damaged piping. Carner Brothers is an authorized distributer for the patented valve.
Each Team valve is NSF-61 epoxy coated on the inside and outside, and the ductile iron construction helps maintain the strength of the existing infrastructure. Unlike competitive designs, the valves feature true MJ connections, which enable downstream pipe replacement under full working pressure without system disruption. Because the wedge gate seals on the valve body, the valve is not dependent on the host pipe to achieve a seal. In fact, the pipe and valves are separate components.
Two new valves were installed to isolate the broken section of pipe so it could be replaced.
William Mowell, PE and assistant director of the city of East Orange Water Management, praised the quick response of Carner Brothers and the effectiveness of the new valves.
"Before seeing the Team InsertValve, I had a stigma toward all valve insertions. They have been considered second rate. With that in mind, we had looked at several options including line stopping. But line stopping requires additional excavation and restoration. Plus, standard fabricated steel line stop fittings don't have the proper pressure rating requirements. I can't afford to de-rate our complete water system with material that is only rated to 150 psi. Another option we had was to shut down the system and drain the contents. However, there are costs associated with a shut down such as sampling, notifications, chasing air, and other risks."
Using Team InsertValves, the city of South Orange was able to get their water system in operational order in less than a day.
For more information on the insertable valve system, visit www.teamindustrialservices.com.
About the Author: Brett Hanes has 30 years of experience in the water and wastewater industry. He is an active member of AWWA and WEF. His past accomplishments include the ownership, management, product development, manufacturing and contract service provider of under pressure installation equipment. Currently, Hanes is the International Business Development Manager for Team Industrial Services. Contact him via email at [email protected].
Team Industrial Services ® is an exhibitor at the ACE® '13 event and can be found at Booth No. 8077
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