Asbestos cement water mains

Asbestos cement pipes were manufactured and installed for the transfer of drinking water until the late 20th century. They have little flexural strength and can be damaged in freeze-and-thaw conditions over a longer period of time.

Furthermore, asbestos cement pipes can deteriorate because of lime-dissolving water from the inside or lime-aggressive soil from the outside. In general, the condition of these pipes is usually good enough to accommodate ground loads, however, there might be leaks in the areas of the connections of the pipe shots or a reduced ability to accommodate the internal pressure. Depending on the local regulations, no-dig rehabilitation can be a cost-effective solution compared to a dig-and-replace scenario. Whereas in a new-lay scenario the cost for the disposal of hazardous pipe materials adds significantly to the overall project cost, the pipe remains basically untouched using no-dig methods.