Ferndale Approves Bid for Cured In Place Piping – Here’s What That Is
(Crystal A. Proxmire, Feb. 24, 2020)
Ferndale, MI- Ferndale City Council voted Monday night on a contract with Insituform Technologies USA to line 21,700 linear feet of sewers with Cured in Place Pipe (CIPP).
CIPP is a technology that in essence creates a new pipe within the old one, meaning that pipes do not have to be dug up and completely replaced. This results in a lower cost, faster results, and less road construction.
In 2019 the City sent cameras into about 26% of the city’s 422,400 ft (80 miles) of sewers. The lines were filmed, assessed, and cleaned. Of the 111,164 linear feet of sewers assessed, there was a range of levels of deterioration. About 52% of the lines assessed were still in good condition from having been lined 20 years ago.
However, cracks, breaks, roots, grease buildup and other damage were also part of the assessment. There was even a place where a private company’s snaking equipment had been left behind. When sewer lines are blocked or broken it can cause backups in the system, and possible flooding in streets, yards, and basements.
In Ferndale’s case the sewer lining project covers 21,700 lft of sewers ranging in size from 10” to 24” diameter.
Insituform had the lowest bid at $880,237.90. In addition to the base bid, two (2) separate optional years were bid for up to 8,235 lft of sewer lining in 2021 and 10,705 lft of sewer lining in 2022. The optional years would be considered by City Council prior to executing a contract extension for the work. The City does had the option of requesting bids from other companies should there be problems with the work.
In 2016 Oakland County Times was able to watch this process taking place in Southfield. At that time Fer-Pal was installing CIPP in a water main that was over 60 years old.
We watched as crew members guided a large, 2-piece woven polyester liner jacket from the back of a truck, down a stainless steel table, where two workers injected epoxy resin between the layers, before sending it down the access hole where it was being led through the pipe by cable and guided by a large spindle at the opening.
Once the lining was completely pulled through the length of the pipe, hot water was circulated through the liner to expand the lining and press it up against the inside of the existing pipe. The epoxy resin migrated through the mesh and filled in around the service connections and any imperfections in the host pipe wall. The liner was about 90% cured after two hours of being pulled.
For more on CIPP, check out our 2016 story. The pictures below are also from that 2016 story.