TRENCHLESS INSTALLATIONS AND SEWER LATERALS

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TRENCHLESS INSTALLATIONSAND SEWER LATERALS
AGA DCM Fall Committee Meeting September 12,
2005

• Mike Kemper
• NPL Construction Company

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Who is NPL?

• Core Business
• The safe installation maintenance of reliable
  energy distribution systems
• Over 500 crews
• Over 2400 employees
• Operate in 20 states
• One of the largest users of One Call Centers in
  U.S

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THE OFTEN FORGOTTEN UNDERGROUND WORLD
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Buried Infrastructure Problems A World-Wide
Concern

• Existing infrastructure has become very congested
• We continue to add and change utilities because
  of expansion, modernization, and changing
  missions
• Overall, we do not always have adequate records
  to tell us where all of our utilities are located

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More more utilities are installed using
underground technology
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Smaller utilities

• telephone
• fiber optics
• cable TV
• electrical
• gas

Larger utilities

• sewer
• water

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Possible Scenario?
What could happen?
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Typical crossing
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GAS LINE IN A 6 SEWER
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What happens when laterals are hit during
trenchless operations?
What happens when a plumber is called?
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Gas line Sewer line Rotary-rooter Disaster
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Headline February 15, 2002 Officials seek
answers in gas explosion
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HeadlineFebruary 16, 2002Shocked Gas Company
Pleads Ignorance

• The natural gas explosion that rocked a mobile
  home park on Wednesday shocked officials who say
  they never knew their gas line bisected the clay
  sewer pipe.
• A plumbing contractor was removing tree roots
  from a sanitary sewer line in the 127 unit mobile
  home park when the gas line was struck.
• About the only time we know about sewer lines is
  when people call because they get backed up and
  have to call someone in to clean them, said the
  Operations Manager with the local gas company.

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Indiana Explosion
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Kansas School Explosion
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Minnesota Explosion
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Ohio Gas Fire
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Rhode Island Explosion
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Virginia Explosion
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Your state? Your territory?
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Even in nice, quiet neighborhoods?
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Commercial Building
School
Residential Home
Mobile Home Park
Apartment Complex
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How often does this happen?
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What are the odds?One Case Study
11,000 laterals were inspected.
250 hits identified and repaired.
2 of sewer laterals were hit.

• How many might have led to a major incident?

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Another Case Study

• 4 blocks were inspected
• 24 hits were discovered

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LOW FREQUENCYHIGH SEVERITY
The Exposure
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The Big Concerns

1. Catastrophic human tragedy
2. Huge costs

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THE GREATEST CONCERN

• CATASTROPHIC PERSONAL LOSSES
• because some
• utility lines
• are
• EXEMPT
• FROM
• LOCATING LAWS

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THE COST CONCERN

• Contractors and Utilities are often held
  responsible for hitting these unmarked, unknown
• Insurance rates are on the rise
• As the insurance industry is becoming rapidly
  aware of this exposure, the ability to secure
  insurance for trenchless technology is in jeopardy

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THE ROOT CAUSE A CATCH 22

• Crews have no practical way of finding them are
  often even prohibited from checking for them due
  to governmental no-cut policies.
• The laws in some States do not require all
  privately-owned some publicly-owned facilities
  in the historic corridor to be marked.
• The laws in some States are not well enforced.

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State Regulations 40 States

• Owner or operator of an underground facility is
  responsible to locate the approximate horizontal
  location of that facility
• Is that the home/building owner or municipality?
• Courts have ruled that home/building owner does
  not have expertise to be responsible for location
  of sewer laterals.
• Does the State require them to join the One-Call
  system?
• Who is responsible for enforcement?

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State Regulations 10 States

• New Jersey
• New Mexico
• Oklahoma
• Rhode Island
• Texas
• Virginia
• Missouri
• California
• Kansas
• Vermont

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Interesting Interpretations?

• In Kansas and Vermont
• Sewer is not designated as a facility
• In California
• exempts non-pressurized lines
• In Missouri
• exempts privately owned sewer and water lines

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THE CHALLENGE

• There is little awareness of this issue outside
  the contracting and insurance industries
• This exposure is escalating as more trenchless
  installations are done each year
• Action can be taken immediately

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THE SOLUTIONS

1. Installed Solutions
2. Installation Solutions

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INSTALLED SOLUTIONS

• Educate local plumbers, rental stores, mobile
  home park owners to look before they root
• Find installed problems before they find us

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What about the costs?
75 - 175 per lateral locate depending on
variables.

• Diameter of sewer main

• How much cleaning required

• How many locates per set-up

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INSTALLATION SOLUTIONS

• All new sewer laterals should be installed with a
  location device (i.e. tracer wire, marker balls,
  etc)
• All underground facilities, including sewer
  lines, should be marked by the entity that
  receives revenue from the facility

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Goal Protecting all Parties

• Public

• Gas Company

• Contractor

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CALL TO ACTION

• Initiate legislation/enforcement
• Support legislation/enforcement

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THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT ISSUE!
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We Will Win!
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QUESTIONS?
QUESTIONS?