The Problem:
Rubber ring joints in sewers laid in the 1950's and 1960's in the Cairns region, had deteriorated through bacterial attack. The region has a high water table, leading to sewer infiltration problems.

The Solution:
In the late 1980's Cairns City Council commenced a program of grouting repairs on the joints of the deteriorated concrete pipes.

Now, some years later, better results have been achieved using advances in sewer pipe relining technology. Relining has proven to be more cost effective, providing "as new" pipelines between manholes.

The Project:
Infiltration into the deteriorated pipes was a major problem, particularly as the groundwater level was high. In Babinda, this meant running the pumping station 23 hours per day. The contribution infiltration made to the flow being pumped was not known.

Interflow relined 14 pipelines in Babinda with Rib Loc Expanda Pipe.

As no heating is used in the Expanda Pipe installation process, the water charged ground at pipeline level did not cause liner installation problems.

Expansion of the liner by the unique Rib Loc process meant there was no reduction in pipe capacity. The smoothness of the liner compensated for the minor diameter reduction.

House service line connections were sealed with hydrophilic polyurethane, applied using a lateral sleeve grouting packer, further reducing chances of infiltration.

When the first line was installed, Council engineers immediately realised that the pump station hours could be drastically reduced. Hours were cut from 23 per day to 14.

On completion of the lining works, hours were further reduced to just 2 per day!

On-going savings to the Council will obviously be substantial, allowing rapid recovery of the costs of the rehabilitation. Relining has proven more economic and effective than attempting to grout joints which were obviously leaking.

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