Welsh Water Dwr Cymru | River Dee Project

egeplast SLA® Barrier Pipe

Requirements

Welsh Water (Dwr Cymru) supplies 800 million litres of high quality drinking water to over 3 million customers in over 1.4 million homes and businesses across Wales. To improve the resilience of the water supply for 1600 properties and businesses situated in Deeside Industrial Park and the Garden City area, and to allow for future development, the company wanted to replace its existing water mains with two new pipelines.

Pipe installation was central to the success of the project as the new twin pipelines needed to run in a straight line under the River Dee Estuary from Connah’s Quay on the north side of the estuary to the Tata Steel site at Shotton located on the south side. Welsh Water also wanted to use a proven barrier pipe solution.

Solution

To meet the installation challenges of this project and the requirements for a pipe which could deliver a high-pressure water supply, egeplast UK supplied just over two kilometres of 355mm SDR 9 egeplast SLA® barrier pipe.

Pipe was supplied in 12 metre lengths and were fusion welded on site by the installation sub-contractors, Clearbore Solutions, using egeplast’s heat shrink installation method over the protected joints. This method ensures the aluminium layer within each pipe is protected during the installation process maintaining the integrity of the contamination barrier. egeplast UK also supplied 355mm SLA® butt Fusion Protection Sleeves, SLA® Aluminium Roll, factory pre-prepared pipe ends and a number of specially manufactured 355mm Stub Flange Assemblies. All pipe and butt fusion protection sleeves were supplied through distributor, Ebero Pipe Systems.

Outcome

Contractors Clearbore Solutions, commented:
“The egeplast UK team not only provided a proven barrier pipe system but by working closely with our team, we were able to ensure the efficient and successful installation of two kilometres of pipeline under the River Dee Estuary. Their customer service was excellent and they even gave Welsh Water and our team demonstrations of their heat shrink joining and installation method so we could feel confident about its suitability for this project. The quality of product and service they have supplied has been excellent.”

Technical

  • 2,016m of egeplast 355mm SLA® Barrier Pipe in 12m lengths
  • Easy, quick and cost effective installation
  • The only plastic drinking water pipe with global approval for use in contaminated soil
  • Meets BS EN 12201
  • Prevents the permeation of pollutants into water and the environment
  • Pipe integrity can be checked post installation
  • Range of fabricated fittings available