Municipal Water Main & Force Main Pipeline Pigging

In order for pipelines to work efficiently, they must be regularly maintained. Municipal water and force main pigging should occur on a frequent basis to keep pipes clear and running smoothly. Read on to learn more about American Pipeline Solutions’ process for municipal water main and force main pigging.

American Pipeline Solutions’ Municipal Water & Force Main Pipeline Pigging Process

Similar to the typical pigging process, APS has the equipment and expertise needed to clean municipal water and force mains.

APS provides the necessary equipment for pigging including pigs, APS design-build pig launchers and receivers, lagoons, pumps and all other ancillary equipment.

Force main pigging differs just slightly from the typical pigging process in that the pipes are under pressure the entire time. Before the pig enters the pipe, APS may install a retrieval to get the pig back out but typically retrieval from a terminus manhole is ideal. Once the retrieval is ready, a transmitter is placed inside the pig, prior to insertions, to track it throughout the process. Above-ground trackers are also placed along the way, so the pig is not lost.

Finally, the pig is placed into the launcher and the pumps are turned on to send the pig into the pipe. APS will monitor the pig and the water pressure along the way before receiving the pig at the retrieval point. APS ensures the pipe is cleaned by closely monitoring the amount of debris that comes out of the pipe during each run.

What Issues Can Municipal Water & Force Main Pipeline Pigging Solve?

Regular water main maintenance can prevent major issues in sanitation systems. Significant impact has also occurred to some industries due to aging cast iron piping that becomes greatly restricted by tuberculation. APS offers numerous solutions for this problem, including pigging, rotary head technology, and Picote mechanical. APS can also apply a thin epoxy coating to the newly cleaned pipe, which will stop any future scaling. All these methods will navigate multiple elbows.

How Often Should a City Pig Its Pipelines?

The amount of time between water main pigging depends on the size of the pipe. Typically, we recommend a city pig its pipelines every 1–5 years. Consistent cleaning and maintenance of your pipes are recommended over reactionary pigging after a problem has occurred. Clients that schedule cleaning on a regular basis rarely have major issues with their pipelines.

Are you in need of water main pipeline pigging?

Contact American Pipeline Solutions today to learn more about pipeline pigging.