Utilizing Condition Assessment Data in Pipeline Replacement and Reinvestment Planning

Water, sewer and storm pipeline systems are a major capital investment and utilities must ensure they are properly maintained if they are to perform as desired. Pipelines can account for the largest percentage of capital investment and a significant portion of the operating cost investment. Due to their typically long life cycle and expensive renovation costs, proper planning for pipeline reinvestment can improve the financial health of a utility and provide for effective continuous service. Various methods have been proposed to evaluate reinvestment needs for pipeline assets including general rules of thumb supplemented by experience, survival functions, and condition matrices. Pipeline deterioration can be a result of damage caused by adjacent construction activities, weather, ground movement, vandalism and normal wear and tear. Regardless of the reason for pipeline deterioration, a sound condition assessment program can identify pipeline assets that require repair or replacement. In order to fully leverage condition assessment data, it is important that the projection of reinvestment consider the data collected from inspection. In this way new pipe that is "acting" old and old pipe that is "acting" new can be properly evaluated as to the financial requirement to maintain the pipe in good working order. This paper discusses various aspects of reinvestment planning and the use of condition assessment data in a utilities reinvestment program.