Case Study: Repair of Domestic Water Main Pipe Leaking Due to Stone Damage and Corrosion

Case Study Data

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Site
Domestic property
Location
Devon, UK
Repair Type
Leak repair and pipe reinforcement
Defect
Water main supply pipe damaged by heavy corrosion and imbedded stones

Products Used

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Superfast Aqua PW Epoxy Putty Stick
WRAS approved epoxy putty with excellent wet surface adhesion, used to seal leaks and fill other imperfections in pipework

Liquid Metal Epoxy Coating
Brush applied coating painted onto pipework to form a new, hard wearing, metallic outer surface with high corrosion resistance

SylWrap HD Pipe Repair Bandage
Composite repair wrap with water activated resin encompasses pipes with a rock-hard, impact resistant outer sleeve

Case Study PDF

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Case Study Details

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Abnormal levels of water use alerted the homeowner to a potential leak somewhere in their supply system. The problem was soon identified to be underneath the front driveway.

Because the leak was in the pipe between the property and the external stop tap connected to the public supply, repair was the responsibility of the homeowner and not their water supplier.

The homeowner excavated the pipe and discovered it to be heavily corroded. Stones were imbedded deeply at various points across the entire 2-metre line, and the metal had been breached and was leaking in multiple places.

Sealing the leaks would therefore not be enough; the homeowner needed to strengthen the pipe to prevent further damage in the future, before it was reburied under the drive.

Water supply was turned off at the external stop tap and the system drained before the domestic water main pipe repair began. The homeowner then set about thoroughly cleaning the pipe as much as possible.

This involved removing dirt, followed by surface corrosion. Next came the challenge of the stones, some of which were imbedded so deep into the pipe as to effectively be welded to the metal.

Many of the stones therefore left craters and severe surface damage in the pipe following their removal. These and the other leak areas identified after excavation were repaired with Superfast Aqua PW Epoxy Putty.

Superfast Aqua PW was chosen for its excellent wet surface adhesion; compensating for the possibility some water may have been left behind when the pipe was drained and could seep from the pipe during repair.

It also has WRAS Approval, meaning it is safe to use on pipes and fittings carrying drinking water. This was an important consideration with the main bringing supplies from the public network into the property.

The putty was kneaded by hand until it turned a uniform white colour. Whilst still soft, it was pushed into all leak holes and craters in the pipe. Within 20 minutes, Superfast Aqua PW had cured to a solid material, filling all damage.

Liquid Metal Epoxy Coating was then used to reinforce and refurbish the brittle steel. The homeowner painted 1kg of Liquid Metal in two coatings over the entire pipe and all joints. It set to form a new smooth, metallic, hard-wearing outer surface as a shield against corrosion.

Further reinforcement was provided by SylWrap HD Pipe Repair Bandage. SylWrap is a composite wrap with a water-activated resin which sets rock-hard in minutes.

Three SYL309HD Bandages were wrapped across the entire 2-metre section, including around a 90-degree elbow and another difficult geometry where the pipe began to climb up a wall.

The application of SylWrap began whilst the final coating of Liquid Metal remained slightly tacky, improving adhesion between the bandage and the pipe surface.

Once cured, SylWrap provided an impact-resistant sleeve around the pipe – preventing any stones from imbedding themselves and penetrating the water main in future.

The homeowner completed the repair over a weekend; one day for cleaning the pipe, removing debris and sealing holes. The second day for the application of Liquid Metal and SylWrap HD Bandage.

Water supply was turned back on to test the main. The combination of Superfast Aqua PW, Liquid Metal and SylWrap HD easily contained pipe content, as well as offering robust protection and a fully refurbished line. The pipe was then reburied.