Sagging care home sewer replaced to protect residents

A defective sewer pipe at a care home has been urgently replaced by Lanes Group plc drainage engineers to ensure poor wastewater flow rates did not affect residents.

The residential home made an emergency call the Lanes Aberdeen depot for help because foul water was failing to drain properly from sinks and toilet systems.

Lanes drainage engineers responded immediately, knowing that residents in care homes can be badly inconvenienced if defects in wastewater systems are not correct as soon as possible.

A CCTV drainage survey of the site established that the problem was being caused by a 100mm diameter plastic foul pipe that had sagged, disrupting the flow of water into the main sewer.

Lanes Area Development Manager Mark Morrice explained: “Our first thought, always, is to use no dig systems to repair and rehabilitate drainage pipes, because they are usually less costly and certainly less disruptive, which is a big advantage for care homes.

“However, in this case, the pipe had sagged so badly, that a remote access repair like cured in place pipe lining was not appropriate. The only option was to excavate and replace the pipe.”

Lanes Aberdeen’s experienced excavation and pipe rehabilitation team carried out the work, ensuring they bedded the pipe in ample quantities of pea gravel to prevent it from sagging again.

A new 30m section of plastic pipe was installed and then a path above the drain was reinstated. The site was fully barriered off to safeguard residents, staff and visitors during the work.

With the new sewer pipe installed, a CCTV drainage survey was carried out to show the care home owners that the pipe was in good working order, with the correct optimum fall to the main sewer, and no sagging.

The excavation and pipe replacement was completed in five days, while on site, the Lanes drainage team repaired two manhole channels on the other side of the building to prevent snagging of toilet waste.

Mark Morrice said: “This project demonstrates the capacity and capabilities we have to quickly assess a potentially high risk drainage problem and rapidly put in place the appropriate solution.

“Thanks to our no dig expertise, we can often repair drains through installing patch lining or full liners, or cutting blockage material, such as tree roots, from drains.

“However, when conventional drain excavation is needed we can act quickly, safely and decisively and minimise the risk to clients like care homes and their residents.”

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