Detroit Sewage Pipes Treated with Carbon Fiber Lining

Jim Nash, Oakland County water resources commissioner, and Candice S. Miller, Macomb County public works commissioner, announced that portions of the Oakland-Macomb Interceptor Drain Drainage District’s (OMIDDD) Northeast Sewage Pumping station were reinforced with a carbon fiber polymer lining called Wet Layup Liner from QuakeWrap Inc. based in Tuscon, Ariz.
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A man standing at the end of a large pipe
Portions of Oakland-Macomb Interceptor Drain Drainage District’s Northeast Sewage Pumping station were reinforced with a carbon fiber polymer lining. // Courtesy of Oakland County

Jim Nash, Oakland County water resources commissioner, and Candice S. Miller, Macomb County public works commissioner, announced that portions of the Oakland-Macomb Interceptor Drain Drainage District’s (OMIDDD) Northeast Sewage Pumping station were reinforced with a carbon fiber polymer lining called Wet Layup Liner from QuakeWrap Inc. based in Tuscon, Ariz.

The lining is estimated to save approximately $400,000 in rehabilitating four 78-inch diameter pipes at the pump station.

The Northeast Sewage Pump Station in Detroit is a part of the Oakland-Macomb Interceptor Drain which conveys sewage from 23 communities in Macomb and Oakland counties that comprise the OMIDDD. In an effort to restore acceptable functionality and reliability to station operations while saving time and money, the OMIDDD’s Board of Directors decided to rehabilitate and upgrade current infrastructure rather than demolish and replace the components individually.

“Everything we know about this innovative lining product proves it to be extraordinary when used for this pump station,” says Nash. “Its high quality will strengthen and restore current infrastructure, and the ease of installation allows for faster construction time at a lower cost.”

QuakeWrap’s system works by saturating bands of carbon fabric, typically two to four feet wide, with epoxy resin and applying them in an overlapping manner to create a continuous loop around the circumference of the pipe. The bands of fabric will also be overlapping along the length of the pipe, ensuring fluids will flow from one band to next, like roof shingles.

“We’re excited about the use of QuakeWrap for this project as part of the ongoing, important renovations and upgrades of the Northeast Sewage Pumping Station. It will extend the life of the discharge pipes and serve the system users and ratepayers of Macomb and Oakland counties who are part of the (OMIDDD) for a long time,” says Miller.

After the sewage flow was shut off and the prep work complete, crews successfully sealed and lined the pump discharge pipe in a matter of days, which saved on the project schedule and cost. As part of the 10-year warranty, OMIDDD will continue to monitor the infrastructure every two years to ensure the intended liner performance.