From renovation to open-heart surgery

GW Leidingtechniek BV is a familiar name to many water boards, drinking water companies and infrastructure contractors and specializes in piping technology, particularly in the field of waste and drinking water. Director Harm van Ganzenwinkel takes us to two noteworthy projects: the refurbishment and repair of the extensive sewer system between Oss and the treatment plant in Ooijen and the 'open-heart operation' at the Bath WWTP in Rilland.

GW Leidingtechniek specializes in the design, construction, renovation, cleaning, repair and aftercare of pipes in PVC, GRP, concrete, vitrified clay, steel, ceramic or HDPE. "As long as water flows through them," Van Ganzenwinkel emphasizes. "For life extension of existing pipes, we use a number of unique techniques and methods. The choice of a particular technique, such as a cold method or pipe-in-tube method, depends on the type of material and soil conditions, for example. We prefer to do the work with our own people with a passion for the job and the willpower to deliver something beautiful. We are justifiably proud of that."

12.000 m³ hourly

Between Oss and Oijen, GW Leidingtechniek is working on just about the largest project in the history of the Helmond-based company on behalf of water board Aa and Maas. "It involves the renovation of the more than 4 kilometer long sewer from Oss to the treatment plant in Oijen. The system is 50 years old and badly in need of replacement. Because of its size, the project has been divided into four phases, of which we have completed phases 1 and 3 and are now working on phase 4," Van Ganzenwinkel explains. The sewer consists of a free-flow concrete pipe with a gigantic size of 2.65 meters wide and 1.65 meters high and with a capacity of 12,000 m3 of waste and rainwater per hour. "Our job is to clean, blast and repair the concrete tube where necessary, and then install a GRP tube in it. Constructively, therefore, the concrete tube remains intact. Phase 4 involves a 1,400-meter section that we have further divided into three subsections with four construction pits. A temporary pump installation will ensure that we keep our feet dry."

Safety is top priority

The concrete tube is first cleaned and blasted. "This work is performed by a robot," says Van Ganzenwinkel. "Then our people go into the tube to perform any concrete repairs, obviously equipped with the necessary PPE. Think harness protection, a full face mask with breathing air and gas detection. There is also an alarm system on the temporary pumping installation that ensures that our people leave the shaft immediately in the event of high water. At first, this is not an immediate danger, but the entire design is laid out for this. We prefer not to take any risk; safety is top priority. Once the concrete tube has been completely renovated, we place the prefabricated GRP elements with a socket-spigot connection in segments of 5 meters each. These GRP panels are encapsulated in the concrete duct, so to speak, by filling with a cementitious filler in the hollow space." 

Unlike the other phases, phase 4 runs largely through populated areas. "Coordination with the surroundings and extra attention regarding safety is therefore important. For example, the 'construction site' is hermetically sealed and equipped with camera security. We are also working with electrically driven pumps and a noise barrier has been created to minimize inconvenience."

Open-heart surgery

Another appealing GW Leidingtechniek project is replacing the influent pipeline at RWZI Bath in Rilland for the Brabantse Delta Water Board. "It basically forms the main artery to the heart of the plant," Van Ganzenwinkel clarifies. "The 'heart' itself, the main distribution system, is also being renovated room by room, along with the 1,200-millimeter pipes from the chambers to the pretreatment tanks. We are using the relining technique here. The influent pipe has a diameter of 1,800 millimeters and is relined with a sleeving over a length of 60 meters. An extensive disconnection protocol is in place to ensure that this operation can take place without taking the RZWI out of operation. Thus, three temporary pipes are deployed to reline the main artery. A beautiful and interesting project, in which we are extending the lifespan of the WWTP by fifty years."

This is how GW Leidingtechniek contributes to a wide variety of projects throughout the Netherlands. "It always makes me proud when we can surprise our clients with an innovative solution within the set budget," Van Ganzenwinkel concludes