• About
  • Advertise
  • Subscribe
  • Contact
  • Events
Sunday, June 22, 2025
Newsletter
SUBSCRIBE
  • News
    • Contracts awarded
    • Open tenders and opportunities
    • Events
  • Features
  • Water
  • Wastewater
  • Gas
  • Electricity
  • Civil Construction
  • Events
No Results
View All Results
  • News
    • Contracts awarded
    • Open tenders and opportunities
    • Events
  • Features
  • Water
  • Wastewater
  • Gas
  • Electricity
  • Civil Construction
  • Events
No Results
View All Results
Home

Trenchless sewer repairs in Armidale

by Staff Writer
July 9, 2013
in Maintenance, News, Trenchless technology, Water and Wastewater Treatment
Reading Time: 2 mins read
A A
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Armidale Dumaresq Council will shortly commence the third year of a contract for the rehabilitation of sanitary sewer pipes. In the coming four months Council’s contractor Insituform Pacific will reline around 11 kilometres of pipes, a small part of the network of 225 kilometres of pipes that carry wastewater to the Sewage Treatment Plant.

“While most of us take it for granted, a city’s sewer network plays a vital role in protecting public health and the environment,” said Mark Byrne, Council’s Utilities Technical Officer. “The first sewers were installed in Armidale in the 1930s and the system has grown significantly since then. Like all infrastructure the network requires ongoing maintenance and repair to ensure it continues to do its job properly.”

“The ground our sewer pipes were built in is affected by seasonal temperature changes and periods of drought and rain. This can cause joints in the pipes to be displaced and small breaks to open up. These faults lead to infiltration of ground water and over time tree roots can find their way in, causing blockages and overflows.”

Sewer relining contractor Insituform Pacific has been working in Armidale since early 2012, relining sections of pipe identified by Council as needing attention. They use a trenchless repair method known as a ‘cured-in-place-pipe’ or CIPP, which avoids the expense and inconvenience of having to dig up and replace pipes all over the city.

The relining process begins with a camera inspection of the existing pipe. Each section of pipe is then cleaned and any debris removed. A felt tube impregnated with a heat setting resin is winched into the pipe between the manholes at either end. The tube is then inflated with steam. This causes the resin to set, producing a new pipe within the original host pipe. Robotic cutting tools are then used to cut open connections to complete the work.

The whole process takes a couple of days from start to finish. The new pipe has a design life in excess of 50 years and since it has no joints tree roots are unable to get into gaps, minimising the chance of blockages in the future.
Insituform’s project manager Adam Podolski explained that the work would require access to manholes on some residents’ properties. “We will be contacting those residents, as well as notifying other residents living near work sites, prior to starting work”, Mr Podolski advised.

Related Posts

Image:  kstipek/stock.adobe.com

WA seeks industry feedback on future energy needs

by Sarah MacNamara
June 18, 2025

The Western Australian Government will engage with peak industry bodies to assess how the state can position its economy to...

The new community battery in Coburg. Image: Jemena

Jemena switches on new community battery

by Sarah MacNamara
June 18, 2025

Residents in Coburg are set to harness cheaper, cleaner and reliable energy, with Jemena and the Federal Government launching a...

Image: New South Wales Government

NSW Government unveils landmark VPP

by Sarah MacNamara
June 18, 2025

New South Wales is celebrating the launch of its first large-scale virtual power plant (VPP), aimed at managing the reliable...

Read our magazine

Join our newsletter

View our privacy policy, collection notice and terms and conditions to understand how we use your personal information.
Utility is the title of choice for decision makers at all levels of water and energy utilities, as well as other major players like consulting engineers and first-tier contractors. Utility is integrated across print and online, and explores the biggest news and issues across the utility industry. It is Australia’s only dedicated utility magazine, and covers all areas of the utility sector, including water and sewer, gas, electricity, communications and the NBN.

Subscribe to our newsletter

View our privacy policy, collection notice and terms and conditions to understand how we use your personal information.

About Utility

  • About
  • Advertise
  • Subscribe
  • Contact
  • Digital magazine
  • Events
  • Terms & Conditions
  • Privacy Collection Notice
  • Privacy Policy

Popular Topics

  • News
  • Water
  • Electricity
  • Projects
  • Water and Wastewater Treatment
  • Spotlight
  • Civil Construction
  • Renewable Energy

© 2025 All Rights Reserved. All content published on this site is the property of Prime Creative Media. Unauthorised reproduction is prohibited

No Results
View All Results
NEWSLETTER
SUBSCRIBE
  • News
    • Contracts awarded
    • Open tenders and opportunities
    • Events
  • Features
  • Water
  • Wastewater
  • Gas
  • Electricity
  • Civil Construction
  • Events
  • About
  • Advertise
  • Subscribe
  • Contact

© 2025 All Rights Reserved. All content published on this site is the property of Prime Creative Media. Unauthorised reproduction is prohibited