Ponca City, Oklahoma
Pipe Details
- 24-inch (600-mm) ductile iron pipe municipal water transmission line required repairs
Summary
- Three 24-inch (600-mm) AVT EZ Valves were installed on ductile iron pipe municipal water mains
- 3 technicians installed three 24-inch (600-mm) AVT EZ Valves in a 3-day period, working 8-hr days
- The AVT EZ Valve installation allowed water service to continue during installation
The city of Ponca City, Oklahoma, faced a problem with its municipal water lines. The main transmission pipelines were in need of repair, and if the damage were to lead to a break, most of the city would be without water and fire protection. They needed to install three 24-inch (600-mm) valves on the lines as soon as possible. So they began weighing the options.
Initiating a traditional shutdown would leave a large area of the city without water, boil orders would have to be made, and there would be no fire protection for the duration of the repairs. Alternatively, the main line could be shut off, but this approach would cost more money and take more time. Because of thrust restraint issues, six more excavations would be required than with the traditional shutdown, and there would still be customers without service.
Looking for a better solution, Ponca City representatives consulted its main supplier of waterworks distribution products, Core and Main.
An exclusive distributor for Advanced Valve Technologies® (AVT) products, Core and Main knew that an AVT EZ Valve system would be able to repair the main feed pipelines.
The problem was the size of the lines. Core and Main performs services for pipe sizes of 4 inches (100 mm) to 12 inches (300 mm), which meant the line repair the city needed exceeded the equipment on hand. Core and Main suggested the city administrators contact AVT directly to perform the repair.
Following this advice, city officials consulted with AVT and decided to install three 24-inch (600-mm) EZ Valves to control the main feed pipes. The construction and functionality of the EZ Valve made it ideal for this project. It is an AWWA 509 and 515 material specified valve, with the same number of turns as a standard valve, ductile iron castings, EPDM rubber gaskets and a resilient wedge gate.
Following this advice, city officials consulted with AVT and decided to install three 24-inch (600-mm) EZ Valves to control the main feed pipes. The construction and functionality of the EZ Valve made it ideal for this project. It is an AWWA 509 and 515 material specified valve, with the same number of turns as a standard valve, ductile iron castings, EPDM rubber gaskets and a resilient wedge gate.
The installation was carried out following standard procedures, resulting in the placement of three permanent valves that would allow the city to control the water supply without interrupting service or compromising fire protection.
According to Darwin Haney, Utility Maintenance Superintendent of Ponca City, “By using the EZ Valve insertion system, the City saved a tremendous amount of trouble. There were no press releases to issue to the public, no loss of fire protection, and no loss of service at any time during the three EZ Valve insertions.”