City of Greensboro Water Resources Department, KRG Utility, and Underground Solutions Join Forces for a North Carolina First

The Greensboro Water Resources Department has been contracting with KRG Utility, Inc. for several years to pipe burst deteriorated gravity sewer lines with pneumatic equipment. During this same period, the utility has been upgrading miles of old 4" cast iron water distribution lines by open cut replacement. When KRG purchased a static pipe burst machine from TT Technologies, Inc. there was an immediate opportunity to move into water main pipe bursting. Greensboro's Robbie Bald, PE, studied the technology and product pipe options and concluded that 6" Fusible C-900® pipe was the right material to use.

Bald commented: "I knew of Underground Solutions from their presence in the industry and their work with HDD. It became obvious that there were benefits to Fusible PVC™, including strength, quality fused joints, and easy connections to our iron mains. Most of these lines had 3/4" or 1" services that had to be transferred from the old to the new main. Our maintenance crews preferred the tapping regimen for PVC versus HDPE fusion saddles on pressure lines."

The City also installed 1,520 LF of 4" Fusible C-900® pipe via HDD parallel to a 12" water main being rehabilitated on Wendover Road. Services were transferred from the 12" to the 4" main to remove them from the heavily traveled highway.

Jeff Greene, President of KRG Utility, Inc. said of the project: "I have been pipe bursting and sliplining in the Carolinas for many years and this is the first time, to my knowledge, that a water main has been rehabilitated in this manner. The advent of hydraulic bursting machines makes it possible to pipe burst at shallow depths and Fusible C-900® pipe provides the necessary pressure capabilities at the minimum wall thickness and OD."