Coupling Speeds and Simplifies Racine Water Main Pit Repair

Dec. 1, 2015
Racine Water Utility serves approximately 40,000 customers in the City of Racine, Wis. (pop. 78,200), and in surrounding communities within the area

Racine Water Utility serves approximately 40,000 customers in the City of Racine, Wis. (pop. 78,200), and in surrounding communities within the area.

A water main pit with three mains running through it contained three isolation water valves that needed to be replaced due to old age. New valves were scheduled to be installed outside the pit, which meant that new piping had to be installed where the valves were previously located. To incorporate the new piping, the water supply needed to be shut off. Mark Carr, a utility employee since 1998 and Racine’s construction department supervisor since 2011, was looking to minimize downtime so that service could be restored to customers as quickly as possible.

Racine Water Utility installers use two 30” HYMAX couplings to connect each end of the ductile iron replacement pipe (32.00 OD) to cast iron (32.74 OD) on either side.

Carr decided to use two 30-inch HYMAX couplings from Krausz USA to connect each end of the ductile iron replacement pipe (32.00 OD) to cast iron (32.74 OD) on either side. Once the water was shut off, Carr’s team cut out the cast iron pipe and installed the new valve and ductile iron pipe with the couplings on either end. It took installers approximately four hours to replace the pipe and connect it.

Fast, Easy Installation

There were two main reasons why Carr used the HYMAX coupling. For one, it was simple to install, which was critical to minimizing service downtime. He estimated that about three hours of downtime were saved by using a coupling with only four bolts to tighten, unlike other products that can have as many as 20 to 30 bolts. The coupling was also in one piece, which made it simpler to install (some solutions can have as many as five pieces). With the fast and easy installation, Carr’s team not only saved time and money but was also exposed to less risk on the job.

Racine Water Utility installers use two 30” HYMAX couplings to connect each end of the ductile iron replacement pipe (32.00 OD) to cast iron (32.74 OD) on either side.

Reliability

As a veteran with 17 years of experience repairing water pipes, Carr knew that using quality couplings would serve his clients over the long-haul in terms of reliability and strong performance. “We are only able to serve customers as well as the products we use,” he said. “When you find a coupling that’s reliable, you stick with it.”

Conclusions

Carr found that using a coupling with fewer bolts allowed for the repair to be completed quickly and minimize downtime for Racine customers. In addition, using a reliable coupling with a strong track record would help ensure long-term dependability for customers.

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