Photo: City of Kelowna
Illustration of the Cured-In-Place Pipe (CIPP) lining program.
The City of Kelowna will use innovative technology to repair sewer pipes this spring.
The project, running from April to June, will cost $7 million to replace 1.7 miles of sewer pipes with a “trenchless” repair technology called Cured in Place Pipe.
This process involves inserting a resin-soaked liner into a pipe and then exposing it to steam, which causes the liner to harden and become the new inner pipe.
“Typically, a sewer pipe repair of this magnitude would take the entire construction season and require excavation of the existing pipe and installation of a replacement pipe, creating invasive impacts for residents and commuters,” said Dylan Wilson, senior project manager.
“By using trenchless technology, we are able to complete the repair with significantly less impact on residents and at a significantly lower cost.”
The repair route runs along Hardy Street, Enterprise Way, Enterprise Court, Parkinson Way, Sutherland Avenue, Burtch Road and through the Parkinson Recreation Center parking lot. Video inspection revealed damage to the walls of the concrete pipe in this section.
City staff examined various options for replacing or repairing the pipe and concluded that a traditional replacement would be complex, costly and difficult to complete quickly. In part because the repair route crosses Highway 97 and other major roads, Parkinson Park, riparian areas along Mill Creek and other major underground utilities.
“Repairing and maintaining our underground infrastructure is critical to the health of the community, protecting our environment and surrounding infrastructure,” Wilson said.
To install the liner, the wastewater flow must be intercepted and diverted to two overland pipes. The pipes are monitored 24 hours a day to ensure they remain in good condition.
Overland Pipe 1 will intercept wastewater flow on Hardy St., divert along the old rail bed and then along Clement Ave. before reconnecting to the existing sewer lines on Vineland St.
Transmission Line 2 begins at Burtch Road. between Hwy 97 and Sutherland Ave. and reconnect with the existing sewer line at Guisachan Rd. and Byrns Rd.
All detours will be clearly marked. During construction work, one-lane alternating traffic is to be expected at times.
Although the bypass pipes are mostly laid over land, they are installed at major intersections such as Sutherland Ave. and Burtch Rd., Dickson Ave. and Burtch Rd., Springfield Ave. and Burtch Rd. relocated underground. and the north end of Hardy St. at the entrance to City Yards and the BC Transit facility to reduce traffic impacts.
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