How Trenchless Pipe Repair Minimises Landscape Disruption

Trenchless pipe repair technology is, by definition, a no-dig solution. It enables underground pipes to be repaired, rehabilitated, and restored to full use without the need for excavation – thereby saving both money and time, as well as the surrounding landscape.

But how exactly does this process work, and what benefits does it bring alongside the no-dig installation?

What is Trenchless Pipe Repair Technology?

A tangible and commonly used example of trenchless pipe repair technology comes in the form of CIPP liners. These liners are made from 75% recycled materials, with 90% of the waste produced during the manufacturing process funnelled back into the creation of new liners.

These liners are flexible and are made from a refined form of felt, which is embedded with a resin that’s strong enough to form a brand new layer on the inside surface of the pipe. This resin is activated using a jet of hot water or steam, settling on the inside of the pipes before hardening to form a new, smooth, and durable layer.

The beauty of this, aside from allowing a pipe to be restored to full use in record time, is the fact it can be performed from above ground, without access to the pipe or visibility of the damage.

With that in mind then, what direct impact does this have on the landscape?

The Benefits of CIPP Liners on the Local Landscape

In order to really appreciate and understand the benefits of CIPP liners on local landscapes and environments, you first need to consider the scale of damage caused by flooding and damaged pipes, and then by the extensive work required to remove those pipes and replace them.

Traditional processes would see damaged or leaking pipes creating expansive pools of floodwater which interrupts local communities and impacts businesses, before any work is carried out. Roads would then need to be closed for a period of time to allow the ground to be excavated and the pipe to be dug up, with surface water and the digging itself causing detrimental damage to the landscape and habitats.

A build up of traffic increases pollutants in the area, while the work and machinery required to carry out the project only serves to cause more damage to the environment. Not to mention the impact of material demand for a new pipe, and the lasting damage caused by flood water.

All of this is the norm for standard pipe replacement work; something which was unavoidable prior to the rollout of CIPP as an accessible alternative.

So, how does CIPP improve this outlook on the local landscape and community impact?

1.      CIPP Reduces Project Load

The best place to start is by considering the amount of work involved in CIPP liner installation, in comparison with traditional pipe replacement.

When you excavate a pipe, you need different machinery to dig up the road surface, access the pipe, remove, then replace it. For CIPP, you don’t need to do any of this – instead, you simply need to visit an existing access point and feed the CIPP liner into the pipe then activate it using hot water or steam.

This reduces the demand on project budget and scale exponentially.

2.      CIPP is Far More Efficient

The time it takes to repair a pipe using CIPP liners is incomparable compared to pipe replacement. When you use the CIPP method, pipes can be repaired and restored to full use in record time, making the solution both time and cost efficient – and reducing the disruption to and impact on the local community.

3.      CIPP is a Long Lasting Solution

We need only look at past projects and pipes repaired by CIPP liners to see how durable these solutions are. The very first pipe to be restored using CIPP liners from Insituform is still in good working order today, more than 50 years later – proving that when installed properly, these repairs can carry pipes through several decades of continued use.

4.      CIPP is, by definition, Environmentally Friendly

From the use of recycled materials to the trenchless application and installation process, CIPP is an environmentally friendly approach which minimises damage to the landscape.

Thereby, when it comes to minimising the impact and disruption of a damaged pipe, there is no better solution than CIPP liners.

Find out more about CIPP liners and their benefits by getting in touch with the original name behind the CIPP pipe rehabilitation solution: Insituform.