Mainline Installation

The installation of the HDPE mainline pipe is very different, due to the nature of how the pipe is connected (fused) together.

Traditional PVC pipe is very rigged and cannot easily be handled which requires connecting each 20ft section at a time down in the trench. Additionally when obstacles are encountered that require a slight direction change, fittings such as a 22 or 45 degree must be used.

HDPE is a highly flexible and durable product that can be easily bent to follow contours during installation that eliminates the need for minor directional fittings. The product can be a little more difficult to install due to the weight of the material, which changes traditional installation techniques. Unlike PVC large sections of HDPE pipe (200-400ft) are commonly fused together outside the trench and then are placed in the trench as the excavation moves down the line.

The most difficult part of this process is getting the pipe in the trench which requires the use of heavy equipment to do so. On the 16” pipe we are using each 40ft section weighs nearly 1000lbs each.

Below is a video that shows how a large section of fused pipe is installed into the open trench