Fast Response to a Major Water Main Failure
Our emergency plumbers were called to a large apartment complex in Sutherland, consisting of 125 units. While a contractor was removing a tree, a large log rolled and damaged the water meter and copper pipework.
Since the damaged section was located before the isolation point, the water supply couldn't be shut off using the building's existing infrastructure. This resulted in an uncontrolled leak and significant water loss, needing immediate emergency attention.
The Challenge: A Live 100mm Water Main
When our team arrived on site, water was escaping from the damaged main at a high rate, placing the water supply and surrounding buildings at risk.
With 125 apartments relying on the affected water pipe, it was crucial to stabilise the situation quickly while minimising disruption to the residents. Our priority was to stop the flow of water, prevent further water loss and establish a safe environment so we could conduct repairs.
Emergency Measures to Control the Water Leak
To reduce the flow from the damaged water main, we carefully compressed the larger copper pipe to significantly restrict the flow of the water. The pipe was then folded to create a controlled kink, further reducing the amount of water escaping the damaged pipe.
This temporary solution allowed the situation to stabilise and allowed us to carry out a more permanent repair.
Using Liquid Nitrogen Pipe Freezing Technology
With the leak under control, we used our specialised pipe freezing technology with liquid nitrogen to isolate the damaged section of the pipe.
Liquid nitrogen, cooled to -160°C, was applied to the pipe to create a solid ice plug. This technique effectively stopped the water flow without shutting down the whole water supply. While the pipe was frozen, we cut into it and completed the necessary repairs safely.
Repairing the Damaged Water Pipe
Once the pipe had been successfully frozen and isolated, our team started repairing the damaged section.
The repairs involved:
- Removing damaged sections of the copper pipework
- Repairing the 100mm water service
- Modifying the affected pipework
- Restoring proper water flow
- Pressure testing the repaired section of pipe
- Safely recommissioning the water supply
All of the repairs as well as the emergency response, were completed in three and a half hours.
Maintaining Water Supply to the 125 Apartments
One of the main priorities within this job was minimising the impact on the residents. To achieve this, our team established a temporary water supply from a neighbouring building while the emergency repairs were being finished. This connection provided residents with safe and clean drinking water and also reduced the disruptions on them.
