Restoring a Critical Transmission Main in Waterbury
Aerial view of the restored transmission main being installed on Thomaston Ave.
The City of Waterbury, CT, recently announced the successful completion of a major water infrastructure project, designed by our engineers, including the rehabilitation of a mile and a half of a critical 42-inch diameter transmission main. With the rehabilitation complete, Waterbury’s water system now has built-in resiliency, improving the system’s reliability and reducing the risk of service disruption.
The previous transmission main being removed.
The 55-year old water supply transmission main had experienced multiple failures in recent years, and our engineers prepared a conceptual design and alternatives analysis, evaluating a number of design options including full pipe replacement, sliplining with ductile iron, HDPE, or PVC, and swagelining. Following this assessment, the City selected swagelining—a process that temporarily reduces the diameter of an HDPE pipe for insertion, then allows it to expand within the host pipe—to balance hydraulic capacity, cost, and long-term performance.
This $12 million project, funded in part by the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund, strengthens a key transmission corridor, helping the City secure a dependable water supply and reduce the risk of future main breaks in a dense, urban environment.
Using remotely operated devices and CCTV to look inside a pipe.