Australian Manhole Rehabilitation and Refurbishment Services
Manhole inspection, rehabilitation and refurbishment may not be the most glamorous of topics, but it is nevertheless an integral part of maintaining the efficiency and effectiveness of Australian wastewater and sewer networks.
At FITT Resources, we specialise in providing manhole inspection services that can determine the structural integrity and efficiency of a manhole and its surrounds, in order for remediation programmes to be instigated.
We also offer manhole rehabilitation and refurbishment services, including concrete reclamation, infiltration sealing, and manhole relining and corrosion protection.
Why are manhole inspections so important?
Manholes are integral parts of the sewer and wastewater network for any Australian council or water administrator, and this means that they need to be functioning at optimum capability. However, a number of factors can conspire that detract from these assets’ ability to do the job they are intended to perform.
In many Australian cities and towns, water infrastructure has been in place for some time. As cities have grown and new suburbs sprung up, this has led to increased demands on sewer and wastewater networks. In turn, this has meant that all aspects of the infrastructure come under increased pressure, and so ongoing inspection and maintenance programmes are crucial to operating efficiency.
Manholes are integral to this, as they provide access so that the condition of sewers and wastewater pipes can be inspected and maintained, blockages can be cleared, and infiltration can be rectified. However, this is only possible if the manhole provides unfettered access to water assets, and if the manhole itself is not contributing to the problem.
When manhole covers or their surrounds become damaged as a result of heavy traffic wear, water can seep in through holes and cracks which significantly adds to the normal water flow. The result of this is that stormwater can become corrupted by sewage, so that water treatment plants are required to process and treat more water than they are designed or have budgeted for, driving up operating costs and stretching capability. It also puts additional pressure on pipework that is not designed to cope with increased flows, and especially adds to the strain in older pipes where the protective coatings are not as effective or may have deteriorated.
Therefore, ensuring the structural integrity of manholes can lead to greater efficiency, lower costs, and improved public services. Regular inspections and maintenance checks ensure that manholes continue to provide easy access to assets when required, and that the holes and their surrounds are not contributing to inefficiencies in the stormwater or sewage networks that increases costs and energy consumption.
At FITT Resources, we undertake manhole inspections across Australia that can determine the structural integrity of manholes, identifying and reporting on damage such as infiltration sites, gas attack, damage caused by tree roots, or cracks and fractures in the manhole lining.
Manhole refurbishment and repair services
FITT Resources offers a comprehensive manhole inspection and rehabilitation service that identifies and rectifies structural issues with manhole assets that enable wastewater and sewage networks to be effectively maintained.
Once we have inspected and assessed a manhole and its surrounds, our protection and refurbishment programmes prevent assets from deteriorating to a critical state, which ultimately reduces costs and downtime. Manhole rehabilitation is ultimately a far less time consuming and costly process than excavation and replacement, or the introduction of bypasses.
Our manhole rehabilitation and refurbishment services include:
Concrete reclamation
High pressure water blasting to clean existing concrete, stripping old concrete away back to good substrate, and removing gas-affected concrete prior to relining.
Infiltration sealing
Reinforcing the overall structural integrity of a manhole to ensure that inflow is eliminated through infiltration sealing with Aquaseal.
Manhole relining and corrosion protection
Applying SewperCoat to manhole interior surfaces and surrounds to prevent gas attack from sulphuric acid that corrodes concrete, mortar, shell and ductile iron. This prevents degradation and provides ongoing protection against corrosion and deterioration caused by bacterial activity and sulphuric acid production.
Manhole repairs
Sealing infiltration sites in the manhole chimney area with Flex Seal. Repairing or replacing damaged manhole covers that enable infiltration and inflow, and ensuring that they are positioned and located so as to allow water to drain away freely from access points.
FITT Resources Water Industry Services Team
Contact the FITT Resources Water Industry Services Team to learn more about out full range of manhole inspection and rehabilitation services available across Australia. Call on 1300 653 229 or email us at [email protected].