To support a large-scale housing development in Mercer Island, Washington, the city retained an engineering consultant to model and assess flow capacity in a key section of their water distribution network. The focus was a 12-inch cast iron watermain that would serve as the primary feed for the new subdivision. However, hydraulic modeling and flow testing showed that the main was performing more like a 4-inch to 6-inch line—raising serious concerns about capacity shortfalls.
With flow rates well below expectations and development timelines looming, the City was under pressure to identify and resolve the issue quickly. Initially, SFE Global was contacted to explore progressive pigging as a way to clean and restore the pipe’s capacity. Given the suspected severity of internal diameter (ID) loss—and the possibility of buried or partially closed valves—a more targeted approach was needed before investing in cleaning.
SFE Global deployed the Investigator™, a live-insertion inline camera tool, to conduct a non-disruptive internal inspection while the pipe remained in service. Our field team inserted the Investigator into the 12-inch cast iron main and immediately confirmed that the pipe was in excellent condition, with virtually no scaling or diameter reduction.
However, just 100 feet upstream, the Investigator revealed a major issue: a short, hidden section of 4-inch pipe had been installed between two 12-inch segments—acting as an unintentional bottleneck. This reducer section had gone undetected by external surveys and maps but was clearly visible using the Investigator’s live video feed.
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Armed with definitive visual evidence, the City quickly excavated the affected section, removed the 4-inch reducer, and replaced it with a matching 12-inch pipe. The improvement was immediate—flow capacity was restored, avoiding costly and unnecessary cleaning or replacement of the entire line.
Collaborating with leading suppliers to deliver reliable and innovative solutions.
We begin with thorough consultations, understanding your unique needs and aligning with all stakeholders.
We work with you to create detailed designs and specifications, helping you craft winning proposals for municipal projects.
We execute the project with rigorous quality assurance and continuous monitoring, ensuring compliance with municipal standards and preventing costly failures.
An Arizona city needed to ensure their twinned 24-inch 9.5-mile sewer force mains could handle increased inflow. SFE Global used the progressive pigging approach together with SmartFoam™ technology for a high-resolution condition assessment, identifying and addressing critical issues to enhance pipeline safety, reliability, and cost-effective maintenance.
An Oregon city used SFE Global, together with INGU Pipers®, to detect leaks, air pockets, and debris in a 16-inch sewer force main. Results identified significant air pockets and debris causing a 16% capacity reduction in the pipeline.
Investigator™ is a live inline inspection tool that combines high-definition video, acoustic leak detection, and GPS tracing
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