NEW MEXICO, USA
Pipe Details
- An inoperable valve controlling flow from a million-gallon tank 20-inch (500-mm) ductile iron schedule 250 pipe
Summary
- An inoperable valve controlling flow from a million-gallon tank was discovered on a 20-inch (500-mm) ductile iron schedule 250 pipe
- The line was repaired with the line under pressure
- A team of 3 installers installed the valve in 5 hours
- No service interruption
- No boil orders required
- No chemical testing required
Water storage tanks are critical to communities because they provide clean water to residents and help meet peak demand. Regular inspections and maintenance ensure that everything works as intended so end users have reliable access to water when it is needed.
Controlling access to stored water is critical, so when the owner of a million-gallon tank discovered an inoperable valve on the 20-inch (500-mm) pipe that flowed from the tank, they began looking for a repair solution. Without an operable valve, there was no line stop between one million gallons of water and the water system it was meant to serve. Until the issue with the faulty 6-inch (150-mm) gate valve was addressed, the asset owner had no controlled access to the reservoir.
The plan was to identify a suitable valve and schedule installation in the near term, ideally using a repair method that would not interrupt service to the 32 homes dependent on water from the tank.
In the search for a solution, the owner began a conversation with Ferguson Waterworks, the local distributor of the AVT EZ Valve. Although Ferguson Waterworks had not previously installed a 20-inch (500-mm) AVT EZ Valve, the company knew installation would be swift and straightforward and that the valve could be placed with the line under pressure. The distributor knew the valve’s unique design would avoid water loss during the installation process.
As a distributor, Ferguson Waterworks subscribes to the AVT RentEZ program, which supplies the company with a complete AVT EZ Valve Kit that includes everything needed for installation, including an innovative end milling (EM) machine that mills a 120° slot around the pipe, eliminating the need to cut a coupon or remove a section of the pipeline. This design allows the AVT EZ Valve products to be installed under pressure, enabling faster restoration than alternative solutions, preserving pipe integrity, and allowing installation under full pressure with no need to shut off the water supply.
For larger sized valves like the one used on the water storage tank line, users can lease the equipment on a one-off, valve-by-valve basis. As a program participant, Ferguson had a 20-inch AVT EZ Valve on hand to repair the line.
The owners elected to move ahead with the AVT EZ Valve installation because it could be executed quickly at a reasonable cost and would not require service to be interrupted. Once the transaction details were completed, AVT provided specialized classroom training to the technicians who would work on the project. The technicians got hands-on experience with the inline valve in a controlled environment and received additional oversight in the field to ensure proper installation.
With the help of 2 assistants, a trained technician installed the 20-inch (500-mm) AVT EZ Valve in only 5 hours. The installation of this valve eliminated the flow control issue created by the original inoperable valve by placing a permanent left-hand operated valve on the line.
The unique valve design allowed the asset owner to add a control point to enable long-term, efficient water distribution for the community with no loss of water. There was no disruption of service, and no boil water notices had to be issued. Furthermore, because the repair introduced no foreign elements into the system, the solution could be brought into service without the need for chemical testing of the water.
With the new valve in service and fully operational, the owner can now control water flow from the million-gallon tank safely, and future maintenance will be less complicated, and less expensive.