Cleaning water supply mains and testing fire hydrants

We offer technology and services

Cleaning of water pipes by controlled flushing method in sections
Fire hydrant testing
Water temperature monitoring along the length of the pipeline
Preparation of a flushing plan for the water supply network
Carrying out a measurement campaign on the network and processing the hydraulic model
We rent equipment for measuring and flushing pipes - Astacus technology

Preparation

Preparation of a flushing plan

The flushing plan defines the process by which individual pipe sections are flushed in the water network. It shall also specify the exact procedure for flushing each section. The flushing plan is preferably developed using a hydraulic simulation model of the water network. If the model does not exist, it can be constructed without it. A distinction is made between complete and partial network flushing.

Realization

Performing controlled flushing

Controlled flushing of the water mains is carried out when the water mains are in full operation as a routine maintenance activity. The flushing cleans the pipeline of fine unconsolidated sediments. This shall be done in such a way that heavily contaminated turbid water from the flushed section does not flow further into the water network, so that hydraulic shock and underpressure do not occur. It is therefore necessary to set the correct flow, pressure and volume of water at each point where water is discharged from hydrants. We can help you with the process of preparing for flushing as well as the implementation, or we can offer you training, rent a robot and flush your network yourself.

Rental

Measuring and flushing robot Astacus

It is an automatic battery machine - a robot. It is our invention, which is protected by a patent. The robot is developed to measure hydraulic capacity of hydrants with high accuracy when testing fire hydrants, and also to realize controlled flushing. The device is designed to enable controlled flushing even in cases where a model and flushing plan of the water supply network is not available. The machine can be rented.

Cleaning of water pipes using the controlled flushing method

Controlled flushing is a routine maintenance activity of the water network to ensure the cleanliness of the internal surfaces of the pipeline and to maintain its hydraulic capacity. The aim is to flush out of the pipe the fine, unconsolidated sediments that naturally form and adhere to the pipe walls and bottom. If regular flushing is not carried out, sediment builds up in the pipe and can subsequently contribute to turbidity events, deterioration of the taste, odour and colour of the conveyed drinking water and offer a haven for micro-organisms. The cleanliness of the internal surfaces of pipes is essential for the delivery of excellent quality drinking water. The pipelines are flushed by systematic controlled discharge of water from hydrants. No cleaning articles, scrapers, etc. shall be used. Only the regulated flow of drinking water from the reservoir and its hydraulic power are used. Immediately after flushing, the water in the tap is potable again. The flushing is carried out when the water supply system is in full operation. In order to achieve the optimum effect, it is highly advisable to first prepare and draw up a flushing plan for the water supply system and/or use our Astacus flushing robot for controlled flushing.

Cleaning of water pipes
Fire hydrant testing
Pipe flushing

Automated measurement during pipe cleaning

Our machines are equipped with accurate water temperature, pressure and flow measurement. This information is automatically recorded 10 times per second during each flush or hydrant test. The measured data is processed by the server and automatically made available to you via email. At midnight you will receive a link to download the previous day's data. The measured data is sorted into graphs and data files. All the meters used have been calibrated in the laboratory and you will receive their calibration reports. Water temperature measurements can be used to check for excessive heating of the water in the pipes during the summer period. The graph shows the temperature progression along the length of the flushed section.

Water temperature measurement in pipes
Automatic reports

Experience

Benefits of controlled flushing

Reduction of customer complaints about drinking water quality (turbidity, odour, colour, taste)
Avoiding turbidity events (red water events) on the network
Improvement of microbilogical and biological indicators of water in the water supply network (clean pipes)
Maintaining the hydraulic capacity of the pipeline

Fine sediment naturally forms and accumulates in water pipes. Its composition, properties and appearance vary from place to place. However, its presence in drinking water is perceived negatively. Turbidity events in water supply networks, which are the source of complaints from customers, occur when these sediments are stirred up due to changes in the hydraulic conditions in the pipes. It is therefore beneficial and prudent to keep the internal surfaces of the pipes clean, for example by flushing the pipes regularly.

Předměty vypláchnuté z potrubí během řízeného proplachu

Sediment comes from pipe corrosion processes, chemical reactions in the water, intrusion into the pipe from the outside from previous pipe failures, etc. Flushing clears the pipeline of fine unconsolidated sediment. The hydraulic force of the flowing water is used. However, the solid structures of the incrustations inside the pipeline shall not be disturbed. It is therefore necessary to select the correct flow rate of water from the hydrant. This must be done in such a way that heavily contaminated turbid water from the flushed section does not flow further into the water supply network.

During the flushing process, sediments are deliberately hydraulically agitated in a precisely defined section of the pipe and flushed out of the water network by the shortest route. Rocks, drill cuttings and pieces of wood are commonly flushed out of the pipe. That is why our flushing robot is not only mechanically but also with its control software prepared for situations when a stone with a diameter of several centimetres flies out of the pipe during flushing. As part of our research, we have also looked into the microbiological recovery of sediment from the pipes.

If controlled flushing is done correctly, then the risks associated with the activity are minimised. Flushing a section takes on the order of a few minutes. Once the flushing has been carried out, the water in the flushed section is immediately clean and potable. After the flushing of the section, the firefighting attachment and the flushing robot are removed from the hydrant. The technician then moves on to the next hydrant to continue flushing the next section, for example, or the working day is terminated. One flushing crew consumes approximately 20-40 m3 of water per day of work when flushing a normal water network.

Our references

Our references and experience

We are specialists in controlled flushing of water mains and pipe hydraulics
Waterworks using Astacus technology supply more than 1.3 million people in the Czech Republic with drinking water and operate approximately 12,500 km of water pipelines.
We developed the Astacus technology ourselves and continue to develop it
We have 14 years of experience in pipe flushing
We are a university spin-off company of Brno University of Technology. We put into practice intellectual property that was created at the Institute of Municipal Water Management of the Faculty of Civil Engineering of Brno University of Technology.