A new type of Trenchless Technology, likely to be launched next year by Copeland Industries, will help reline decaying pipe infrastructure with a sleeve of plastic pipe without the need for digging up the surrounding area.
Copeland’s solution is for small diameter (100-150 mm) pipes, resulting in a product that is thinner, lighter and more flexible than existing trenchless technologies. The prototype is the product of 18 months research with Flinders University.
Copeland’s Business Development Manager Richard Gapper said “Flinders University has been instrumental in helping with the technical data to design a product to meet the most stringent needs of today’s water utility owners and operators.
“We hope to go to market by the middle of next year.”
In South Australia alone, 60 per cent of the domestic water supply passes through these small-sized pipes, most of which are produced using asbestos cement or cast iron.
“According to our market research from water utilities like SA Water and United Water, there is no similar technology in the marketplace.”
Copeland received a $A50,000 grant for their research under the Enterprise Connect Researchers in Business program with assistance from the Australian Institute for Commercialisation.
Other assistance to the project was provided by Innovate SA.