Corroded water pipes need replacing
Corroded water pipes need replacing
Municipality outlines plan to fix failing waterworks on Trent Island
The waterworks system on Trent Island is falling apart decades earlier than expected, frequently forcing the municipality to shut off the water and patch the leaks in the 1970s subdivision.
To fix the problem, the municipality has developed a plan to replace the waterworks system on Tanner Road, Ibey Court, Gair Street, and Parkview Boulevard. It presented the outline to residents at a public meeting on May 8. Less than a week later, crews were back on Tanner Rd. repairing another leak, with more work scheduled for this week.
“We have completed several repairs without excavation over the past five to six years by sealing leaks from above ground using as access points,” says Scott White, General Manager of Infrastructure Renewal and Public Works Administration, for Trent Hills.
White says the eight-inch water pipes are made of ductile cast iron and should have lasted another 25 to 30 years or longer, if properly installed.
“For reasons for which we can’t be certain of, the watermain itself has been failing prematurely,” he says. “The leaks, when uncovered are isolated, corroded holes in the watermain. They can range in size up to three to four inches in diameter. The existing pipe around these areas will still appear in good condition.
“Is this a flaw in the raw pipe materials during manufacture? Is it acidic or unfavorable soil conditions, we are not sure,” White says. “My understanding is that the area, or at least part of the area, was used a landfill at one point, so perhaps there are some contaminants remaining that cause this isolated corrosion.”
One thing that is certain is that there are issues with the way the pipe was installed.
“What we have found when we excavate is soil of poor condition around the main, rocks etc. which is not a proper bedding material for a watermain. I have seen where rocks touching a watermain also seem to cause a deterioration.”
The obvious questions are: What will it cost to fix the problem? How long will the repairs take? When will the work be done?
The answers are unclear.
This project is not in the 2024 infrastructure budget but clearly needs to be done. White says it should be ready to be tendered in a couple of months and that will determine the cost. It could then go to council for a decision on how and when to proceed.
The work will include replacing the ductile iron pipe with the same size in PVC. The roads are also poorly graded, and the ditches are insufficient. Both those issues will be fixed when the work is done.
“We will also be completing culvert replacements and regrading ditches to maximize positive drainage for the area,” White says. “The road base will be replaced with suitable granular materials (existing materials used are not suitable or typical for a road base) and finished with 90 mm of asphalt.”
In addition, a 1.5-metre asphalt sidewalk will be added to the west side of Tanner Rd. and the south side of Gair St.
White says the sanitary sewers have not suffered the same problems so don’t need to be replaced.
A notice at the public meeting promised residents that: “The roads being reconstructed will remain open to local traffic during construction -- lane restrictions will be required to complete installation of underground infrastructure.”