As the ASCE Infrastructure Report Card reported this year, the country's water and wastewater infrastructure needs can cost upwards of $298 billion over the next 20 years. The grade of "D" that the ASCE gave our wastewater systems indicate a serious need to address sewer system overflows, combined sewer overflows and other pipe-related issues.
Gravity sewer pipe in need of repair |
Communities around the country are experiencing failures of their gravity sewer systems due to their age -- many pipes in established municipalities are easily 100 years old; sewer pipes even date to the 1860s. When these pipes fail (or at least compromised), engineers and municipalities will consider to repair, rehabilitate or replace the system entirely:
- Sewer repairs are generally used for localized areas of failure or deterioration. The objective is to restore the sewer to an acceptable operating condition.
- Sewer rehabilitation aims to restore the structural integrity of pipe, extend the operational service life, and in many cases, recapture the hydraulic capacity of the sewer pipe.
- Sewer replacement is the most extensive approach to infrastructure renewal. Replacement involves the complete abandonment of the existing sewer pipe and the installation of a new pipeline.
Read the entire article on UIM's web site.
Infiltration and Inflow problems? Watch our video about I&I solutions and learn how an E/One Sewer system can solve your gravity sewer problems.