PPIC Touts Sahara Technology for Sewer Inspections
The Pressure Pipe Inspection Company Ltd. (PPIC) of Mississauga, Ontario, has applied its Sahara® technology, which was originally developed for leak detection in pressurized water mains, to the inspection of sewer force mains and siphons, with more than 20 completed to date.
The technology allows the sewer force main line to remain in service and inspections to take place at any point in time.
According to the company, the technology can locate the smallest leaks in any pipe material,find pockets of trapped gas where hydrogen sulfide gas can build up and deteriorate the inside of the pipe wall, identify malfunctioning pumps and heavy turbulence. The life of the sewer main can be extended by proactively minimizing these events as they are proven failure methods for sewer force mains. In addition, the actual location of the sewer main can be accurately mapped in real time as the Sahara® sensor travels through the pipe.
“The big advantage of Sahara® is the fact that it is a tethered system. The operator has complete control and the utility can be confident in the results as they are confirmed in real time,” said Kevin Laven, Technical Solutions manager, PPIC.