Impact of Pipeline Inspections on New Jersey American Water’s Cleaning and Lining Program

Cleaning and lining of older cast iron mains is a cost-effective method of extending their useful life. New Jersey American Water has employed this practice for several years as a means of extracting maximum value out of its buried infrastructure assets. Different rehabilitation methods are available, each of which comes with a different cost and a different level of reliance on the pipe wall for structural strength. Selection of the most cost-effective rehabilitation method is crucial to an efficient program. Obtaining pipeline inspection data prior to implementing a rehabilitation program has an impact on the efficiency of this program. This data makes it possible to select the most cost-effective rehabilitation option based on the actual condition of each main, thereby saving money. Gathering the data comes with a cost as well, which needs to be weighed against the value of the information provided. This tradeoff between the cost of information and the savings achieved is captured with the economic assessment level model. This paper reviews New Jersey American Water’s approach to collecting pipeline inspection data and using it to make rehabilitation decisions. The use of acoustic propagation velocity testing is described, and an analysis is provided of the savings achieved through better selection of rehabilitation methods. The financial impact achieved by this program is also compared to the expected savings predicted by the economic assessment level model.