Analysis of factors producing an effect on the integrity and environmental safety of water distribution networks

Summary

The environmentally safe construction and operation of public utilities facilitates to a large extent the sustainable development of cities and communities. Pipelines of a water distribution network can be referred to the basic elements of the municipal water supply system and, as operational practice shows, are most vulnerable. Transition to market economy, reforming housing and public utilities under conditions of wear and aging of engineering life support systems of the Russian cities and communities, lack of material and financial resources for their renovation have significantly exacerbated the ecological situation in the country. Unsatisfactory condition of the water supplying pipelines in most of the cities, imperfect operation management result in numerous pipeline failures and, consequently, in material and environmental damages caused by the changing hydrogeological territorial regime, underflooding, raw wastewater discharge into water bodies and surface spills, increased soil corrosiveness etc. In that context supplying the population with sufficient amount of drinking water of the required quality and environmental safety of water use have been most urgent issues in Russia. The integrity and environmental safety have been the main requirements set to the public water supply pipelines. The results of studying the assessment and analysis of the factors effecting the integrity and environmental safety of the water distribution pipelines are presented. The assessment and analysis of the external factors (parameters, characteristics) that can produce a significant effect on both the pipe integrity and environmental safety and their efficient lifetime are the basis of developing the measures on improving the reliability of the municipal water distribution pipelines.

Key words

water supply network , reliability , pipeline , ecological safety , insulating coating , cathodic protection

Features of Electrochemical Protection at Long Operated Steel Underground Pipelines

Summary

The Center of Technical Diagnostics of Mosvodokanal operates the units protecting the water supply pipelines against electrochemical corrosion. In the process, the necessity for protection of old water supply networks operating without cathodic protection for a long time appears. For reasonability and possibility of introduction of electrochemical protection of the long operated underground steel water lines the criteria of assessment of their corrosion conditions have been elaborated. On the basis of the experience accumulated at the Center of Technical Diagnostics the analysis of basic peculiarities in the course of designing and operation of the plants for electrochemical protection of such pipelines has been made; basic propositions making it possible to improve the efficiency of counter-corrosion protection of pipes are presented.

Key words

water supply network , corrosion of pipelines , electrochemical protection , insulating coating , stray current