Wastewater Force Main Management

In recent years, a rise in regulatory compliance orders has required force main owners to thoroughly assess their assets in order to prevent failures. Through more than 500 miles of force main assessment, Pure Technologies has developed a holistic risk-based approach to managing force mains.

Our Approach to Force Main Management

Based on our ongoing force main assessment programs, our clients have found their assets typically do not deteriorate or fail systematically along their full length. Rather, pipe condition is related to localized problems due to design, manufacturing, installation, environmental, operational, or maintenance factors. Often, it is a combination of several of these factors that lead to force main failures. Experience indicates that less than 10 percent of pipelines surveyed have indicators of distress, while even fewer require repair or replacement to extend their useful life.

Common Causes of Failure

Hydraulic Transient (Pressure Surge)
Defective ARV (Interior H2S Corrosion)
Corrosive Soils (Exterior Corrosion)
Unprotected High Point (Interior H2S Corrosion)
Stray Current (Exterior Corrosion)
Third Party Damage (Mapping)

Pure’s force main assessment programs target the most common causes of force main failures and provide operators with actionable data about their assets. By identifying and repairing only isolated areas, followed by the implementation of a long-term pipeline management strategy, utilities can realize major capital program savings over the replacement or large-scale rehabilitation of force mains.