Key Facts:
- Australian water and wastewater infrastructure faces challenges from climate change, population growth and ageing systems, with some infrastructure dating back to early 20th century
- Water Services Association of Australia projects urban water utilities will double capital expenditure to nearly £12 billion annually by 2026-27 to address infrastructure needs
- Australia has an estimated 260,000 kilometres of water and wastewater pipelines requiring maintenance and regulatory compliance for environmental and safety standards
- Internationally, over 30% of treated water is lost to leaks, though Australian losses are lower but vary by region
- Inflatable pipeline stoppers are being utilised as a solution for maintenance and leak prevention, with sizes ranging from 45-2115+mm diameter for standard models and up to 3000mm for custom types
Australia's water, wastewater, recycling, and industrial process fluid pipelines face multiple maintenance and reticulation system renewal challenges in the years immediately ahead, including the convergence of climate change and population growth.
Both municipal and industrial reticulation systems also face pressures arising from ageing infrastructure, while process industry and agricultural systems – ranging from primary industry to food and beverage – are expanding to ensure food security and best use of shared water resources while minimising environmental risk.
Improving water conservation requires curtailing losses from evaporation and leakage while preparing for climate change impacts. Some older water and wastewater systems still contain infrastructure dating back to the early 20th century.
Internationally, more than 30 per cent of treated water is lost to leaks, according to Global Water Intelligence, which is a network of working groups dedicated to solving industrial water challenges and furthering the responsibility of shared community water resources.
Australian water losses are lower but vary by region. The Water Services Association of Australia (WSAA) projects that urban water utilities will nearly double capital expenditure to almost $12 billion annually by 2026-27.
Asset renewal and climate change impacts require investment in maintaining services, expanding systems, and adapting to more frequent droughts and floods, says the WSAA, the peak body representing urban water and sewerage utilities across Australia and New Zealand.
"The issue is vast and expanding, given that the water and wastewater sector alone has an estimated 260,000 kilometres of pipelines in service," says Vinh Lam, Technical Product Manager for pneumatic pipeline stopper isolation and actuation specialists Air Springs Supply, which is Australian distributor of Pronal elastomer pipeline stoppers.
"In addition to all the other pressures, pipeline infrastructure owners and operators also face the issue of environmental compliance. This includes ensuring water and wastewater security against leaks and spills potential affecting groundwater and surface waterways. Australia's regulatory requirements cover a broad spectrum of municipal and industrial uses, including agricultural, food and beverage, mining and other primary product processes.
"So more and more pipeline owners and operators are investing in leak prevention, detection and swift repair technologies to curtail waste – which in the case of potable water, is a major financial and community cost of wastage of extensively processed top quality water.
"All pipeline reticulation system owners – including wastewater and industrial food and beverage processing plants as well as meat and dairy operations – are also strongly aware of the significant operational, financial, and reputational risks involved in regulatory non-compliance with work health and safety (WHS) and environmental protection laws, which require them to identify, assess, and control risks," says Lam.
These tough inflatable stoppers – including types designed to international military and civil emergency standards – can be quickly deployed to address leakages caused by factors such as soil conditions, system age, pipeline material deterioration, intrusions (such as tree roots), management of higher loads of industry waste and sharp variations of inflows with flood and drought.
"Leaky pipelines are an issue both for maintenance teams employed on public assets, as well as specialised engineering contractors performing maintenance on private pipelines. These tasks are complex and highly skilled businesses requiring expertise in areas like inspections, repairs, excavation, and adherence to strict safety standards. Pronal's easily transported and reusable pipeline stoppers are designed to make the job easier, faster, and safer," says Lam.
Types and sizes
Pronal ranges – some of which also feature bypasses to maintain services during pipeline work – enable inspections and work to be carried out without major lengthy shutdowns of extended sections of pipeline systems
"Inflated at the specified pressure and with a back-pressure of up to 1 bar for standard types (10m water column), each stopper can be used within a range of pipe diameters. The stoppers – in a range spanning pipes from 45-2115+mm diameter in stock sizes and up to 3000mm for customised types - are typically used to carry out sealing tests and maintenance work on pipeline systems.
The versatility of the material used, and the production method (customised dilatability) means Pronal inflatable stoppers are suitable for all types of pipelines including concrete, cast iron, steel, stainless steel and PVC. They are extremely strong and durable in service, being hot vulcanised in a mould and aramid fibre (Kevlar) reinforced, giving outstanding service life.
The pipeline plugs can also be inflated rapidly by compressor or gas cylinder to prevent accidental pollution such as spilling of toxic product, preventing the flow of toxic fluids into drainage networks or the surrounding environment including marine and groundwater systems.
Pronal customised products include low and high pressure resistance models (according to the needs of particular applications). Custom-built models also come in a variety of shapes, including cylindrical, egg-shaped and square. Special models can be manufactured to meet particular specifications.
Naturally (as with any rubber-based product) direct or prolonged exposure to petroleum-based products is not recommended, but the plugs are widely used in water and wastewater, resource, utility and industrial situations for leak sealing, testing and emergency applications.
About us:
About Pronal Founded in 1961 and headquartered near Lille in the north of France, PRONAL builds standard and customised flexible products from fabrics coated with elastomer and/or plastomer. In addition to extensive industrial expertise, Pronal also works in the defence, aerospace, civil emergency, and maritime/harbour sectors. Pronal's Australian distributor, Air Springs Supply, is Australia's leading supplier of air springs and associated pneumatic technology for the industrial and transport sectors. Air Springs Supply has more than 50 years' experience in actuation, isolation, and suspension, with a national distribution and technical service network.
