TPT January 2010

I ndustry N ews

environmentally sensitive way. The whole process can take between three and four days for each pipe coil, with the pipe coils having to be installed within seven to fourteen days, following successful 30-minute sterility tests. GPS PE Pipe Systems – UK Fax: +44 1480 458829 Website: www.gpsuk.com Thames uses ‘ready-to-go’ pipes for pre-treatment

A NEW pipe manufactured by GPS PE Pipe Systems is being used by Thames Water under its ongoing Victorian Mains Replacement Programme. Installed in the Crouch Hill district metering area, North London, Excel 3C is a response to calls for clean, capped pipe coils for drinking water. It eliminates a major preparatory step for water companies and contractors installing new or replacement pipes. Excel 3C is a range of PE pipe coils that are DWI-approved for installation without pre-chlorination. The new pipe coils are claimed to save up to four days in installation time and reduce the quantity of hypochlorite solution required. As demonstrated in Falmer Road, London N15, where old cast iron pipes were upgraded to 180mm PE, the new pipe can be slip-lined into existing ferrous pipes, in the same way as standard PE pipes from GPS PE Pipe Systems. A key advantage is that water engineers can install it straight from stock, without lengthy pre-treatment. By eliminating pre- chlorination of pipe coils, Excel 3C (clean,

capped, coiled) can cut costs and increase productivity.It is delivered to site with a factory-clean bore, which is doubly secured against contamination by end plugs and/or protective caps. The plugs and caps are fitted during online manufacture. Excel 3C is available in 75m and 100m coils, manufactured in PE100 (Excel), and is available in SDRs 11 and 17. Standard sizes are 90mm, 125mm and 180mm with other sizes available to specific order requirements. The product has been developed in conjunction with Thames Water and the DWI. GPS PE Pipe Systems factory-seals the new pipes so effectively that a six- month ‘shelf life’ has been determined for the product, each coil being marked with the manufactured and use-by date. The standard full chlorination process can be time consuming, cumbersome and costly, requiring large quantities of hypochlorite solution, to allow the complete filling of pipe coils up to 4m in diameter, prior to use. Spent hypochlorite solution then has to be disposed of in an

The Excel 3 in action

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J anuary 2010

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