CUSTOMER CASE: DISCOVER HOW VALLEI EN VELUWE UTILIZES ACQUAINT'S ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY, THE ACQUARIUS, TO OPTIMIZE WATER PIPELINE MANAGEMENT

Waterschap Vallei en Veluwe is one of the 21 water boards in the Netherlands, responsible for ensuring safe dikes, purified wastewater, and clean and sufficient water in canals for 1.1 million people spread across 28 municipalities in Utrecht and Gelderland. They manage several vulnerable pipelines without current visibility into their actual quality, some of which have been in place for up to 60 years. Budget has been allocated to inspect these pipelines to determine which sections need replacement, which ones don’t, and why. This is essential for prioritizing investments, making informed decisions, and enhancing their water pipeline management.

Collaboration between Vallei en Veluwe and Acquaint for Optimal Water Pipeline Management

Effective management of wastewater force mains is crucial for Vallei en Veluwe to ensure a reliable disposal of wastewater to the WWTP in the regions. Maarten Groenen , Strategist Pipeline Management at Vallei en Veluwe, has played a central role in their pursuit of optimal water pipeline management solutions since 2022. Previous experiences with Acquaint's inspections were positive, leading to their preference for Acquaint aint over other providers due to the advanced state of their technology.

Insight into Pipe Quality: Prioritization and Decision-Making

Vallei en Veluwe manages several vulnerable pipelines without insights into their quality. “Sometimes they've been in place for 60 years,” says Groenen. “We are potentially facing a lot of replacements, but we want to justify each one.” The inspection results enable targeted partial replacements of the deteriorated sections, distributing costs more effectively over the years, keeping water board expenses lower, and maintaining relatively smaller projects. Inspecting the sections they intend to replace is not only a priority but also possible due to the allocated budget.

Inspection with Acquarius Tool for Comprehensive Pipe Condition Assessment

The initial decision was to inspect the pipeline located at Zegheweg in Woudenberg. Given the plan to build houses along the first 175 meters of this pipeline, it was crucial to inspect it to avoid future replacements once the houses are in place. The inspection was conducted using Acquaint's inline inspection tool, the Acquarius. This Pipeline Inspection Gauge (PIG) provides accurate XYZ mapping and detects various failure mechanisms using ultrasonic technology, depending on the pipe material. The inspection covered a decades-old asbestos cement pipeline with a diameter of DN600 and a length of 950 meters.

Obstacles Encountered: Experiences During the Inspection Process

Although the project went smoothly, the inspection team encountered a challenge in the very last phase of the execution. Just before reaching the WWTP, the Acquarius had to pass through a flow meter with an inner diameter reduction of 50% (from DN600 to DN300), located immediately after a 90-degree bend. The dummy PIG run, an initial inspection to ensure that a foam pig can pass through the pipeline without getting stuck, was successful. However, when the PIG, along with the measurement instrument, was sent through the pipeline, the tool appeared to pass through this constriction unusually slowly.

Groenen explains, “Together with my colleagues, Acquaint did everything to guide the PIG through carefully, as it should be. Observing how Acquaint handled this situation gained my trust. Acquaint quickly adapted and exceeded my expectations in preparation, execution, and follow-up.”

Benefits of Inspecting with the Acquarius Tool for Water Pipe Condition Assessment

In addition to being positive about the inspection execution, Groenen is pleased with the results. “Through a pipeline inspection, you learn not only about the degradation or quality of your pipe but also about its physical properties—where it lies, where the connections are, the depth, etc. Much of this information has been lost over the years, and it's essential for making the right choices.”

According to Groenen, conducting a pipeline inspection, especially with the Acquarius tool, has two significant advantages:

1. You get a clear view of your pipe in terms of location, diameter, and specifics.
2. You understand which vulnerable parts have deteriorated due to use.

Replace or Preserve? Decisions Based on Inspection Results

After the inspection, Vallei en Veluwe concluded that they will replace a section of the pipeline. Groenen explains, “Based on the inspection, we expect the pipeline to last another 15 years, but we plan to replace the first 175 meters due to the construction of the residential area. Knowing the state of that pipeline helps us a lot in preparing for this replacement project.”

Future Collaboration and Further Inspections with Acquaint

Vallei en Veluwe plan to continue collaborating with Acquaint in the future. Groenen states, “We decided to inspect four pipelines this year, and we've completed one with two more in preparation. However, we are dropping the fourth for this year because it requires too much of our time. We are currently conducting these inspection projects alongside our regular work, but I hope to have an inspection project team in the future. Such a team can continuously focus on inspections throughout the year and become much more adept at conducting inspections and everything that comes with them. Then, we can inspect even more pipelines.”