It goes without saying that our infrastructure for water supply is relevant. This infrastructure, however, is ageing. Leaking or even shut down pipes underline the necessity for renovation. Usually, these pipes are renewed or revitalised by dig-and-replace. But over the past years, utilities worldwide have been looking more and more for trenchless solutions. Their advantages are clear: Shorter installation times, fewer impacts on the environment and reduced costs.
Primus Line® – engineered and manufactured in Germany – is one of these solutions, consisting of a flexible, aramid-reinforced liner and special developed end fittings.Sydney Water realised its first Primus Line® project four years ago, various applications from 20 to 700 metres installation length in one section and of diameters from DN 150 to DN 500 followed. And so have projects for other utilities, councils and mining companies throughout Australia: Urban Utilities, Hunter Water, Rio Tinto, Shoalhaven City Council, to name just a few. Primus Line® technology is currently the sole solution for the rehabilitation of pressure pipelines on Sydney Water’s “List of Deemed to Comply Products for Pipeline Rehabilitation”.
In case of water spilling out of damaged drinking water pipelines or also sewage pressure lines that are in an hard to access areas or, for example, beneath a creek, rapid response is essential. This is why some Australian pipeline operators already have Primus Line® material on stock to present fast remedy in emergency cases.
In 2013, the first contacts were made with local asset owners. The local drinking water certification followed a year later and the Australian branch was founded in 2016. Since then, Primus Line® turned into the preferred solution for pipe rehabilitations in sensitive and difficult-to-access areas.
But Primus Line® is not only used for the rehabilitation of potable water mains. The range of realised projects extends to sewage pressure pipes, recycled water or raw water mains as well. After Primus Line had proven itself in a wide variety of projects with Sydney Water in the potable water sector, the technology was also given the confidence to be used in sewage pressure pipes.
According to Heiko Manzke, Director for Australia and New Zealand, the market still promises great potential: "More and more asset owners, such as Sydney Water, Urban Utilities or Unity Water are adopting our technology not only for water pipes, but also for sewer rising mains. The percentage of waste water projects in particular has grown significantly of the last three years."
