United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
RESEARCH PROJECT
National Risk Management Research Laboratory
Water Supply and Water Resources Division
Urban Watershed Management Branch
REHABILITATION OF WASTEWATER COLLECTION AND WATER DISTRIBUTION SYSTEMS
IMPACT STATEMENT
This research project will support the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Sustainable
Water Infrastructure goal of better management by
expanding and accelerating the development,
evaluation, and acceptance of innovative technologies
for effectively extending the integrity and service life
of aging and deteriorating drinking water and
wastewater conveyance systems.
BACKGROUND:
The nation's 54,000 drinking water systems and 16,000 wastewater systems are nearing the end of their useful life, and
need to be replaced or repaired to operate successfully and comply with federal regulations. Rehabilitation is the
application of infrastructure repair, renewal and replacement technologies in an effort to return functionality to a
drinking water or wastewater system or subsystem. There are many promising rehabilitation methods and materials
available in the market. For example, trenchless technologies have moved to the forefront of sewer system
rehabilitation. Many are proprietary systems and the details of installation procedures and materials are trade secrets,
limiting the ability to compare and evaluate competing approaches. Selection of rehabilitation methods and materials
suitable for various parts of the wastewater collection and water distribution systems remains an issue, especially due to
ever emerging new materials and methods of construction.
Uncertainty in the selection of appropriate repair and replacement techniques is partly related to the lack of
understanding of the capabilities and costs of each methodology to solve the problem in the long term. Reliable
rehabilitation product performance under actual field conditions, especially over longer periods of performance, is
lacking. Data on the effectiveness and longevity of rehabilitation technologies, materials, and life-cycle cost information
will be useful in determining whether replacement or rehabilitation is more cost effective.
DESCRIPTION:
The National Risk Management Research Laboratory, of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Office of
Research and Development, has funded this research project in support of its Aging Water Infrastructure (AWI) Research
Program. This project consists of a comprehensive review and evaluation of existing and emerging rehabilitation/repair
technologies. The project will select and prepare the appropriate technologies for controlled-condition testing and field
demonstrations. The specific objectives of the project are to identify and characterize the current state-of-the-
technology at the global level, including critical data and capability gaps, for the rehabilitation of drinking water
distribution and wastewater collection systems; prepare protocols, metrics, and site selection criteria and selection of
rehabilitation technologies and decision-support systems for subsequent controlled-condition; and field testing of
innovative rehabilitation technologies and decision-support systems.
National Risk Management Research Laboratory
Water Supply and Water Resources Division
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EPA GOAL: Goal #2 - Clean & Safe Water, Objective 2.1.1- Water Safe to Drink
ORD MULTI YEAR PLAN: Drinking Water (DW), Long Term Goal (LTG) - DW-2 Control, Manage, and Mitigate Health Risks; Water
Quality (WQ) LTG - WQ-3 Source Control
RESEARCH PARTNERS: Battelle; Trenchless Technology Center of Louisiana Tech; Virginia Tech; and Jason Consultants
EXPECTED OUTCOMES AND IMPACTS:
It is expected that this project will result in improved ability of water and wastewater utilities in selecting
rehabilitation/repair technologies, reduced cost, and improved effectiveness of aging water distribution and wastewater
collection systems.
OUTPUTS:
The outputs from this research project will support the Agency's Sustainable Water Infrastructure goal of better
management by expanding and accelerating the development, evaluation, and acceptance of innovative technologies
for effectively extending the integrity and service life of aging and deteriorating water and wastewater conveyance
systems. Current and expected project outputs include:
• State of the Technology Review Report (2009) EPA/600/R-09/048
• Report on the state of the technology for rehabilitating water mains
• Report on the state of the technology for rehabilitating wastewater collection systems
• Report on the state of the technology for rehabilitating force mains
• Report on the field demonstration of innovative rehabilitation technologies for wastewater mains
RESOURCES:
Aging Water Infrastructure Research Program: http://www.epa.gov/awi/
Urban Watershed Management Research: http://www.epa.gov/ednnrmrl/
EPA (2009). Rehabilitation of Wastewater Collection and Water Distribution Systems - State of Technology Review Report
(EPA/600/R-09/048) http://www.epa.gov/nrmrl/pubs/600r09048/600r09048.pdf
CONTACTS:
Ariamalar Selvakumar, Principal Investigator - (732) 906-6990 or selvakumar.ariamalar@epa.gov
Steven Doub, Media Relations - (513) 569-7503 ordoub.steven@epa.gov
Michelle Latham, Communications - (513) 569-7601 or latham.michelle@epa.gov
National Risk Management Research Laboratory
Water Supply and Water Resources Division
www.epa.gov/nrmrl
EPA/600/F-09/025
October 2009
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