Educational

What Are The Options For Manhole Hand-Injection Grouts? Underneath the streets of every city is a maze of sewer pipes, storm drains, manholes and pump stations that carry wastewater and stormwater through a strategically planned sewer system. These sewer systems are vital to protecting the environment and keeping our communities clean. Unfortunately, they are also deteriorating at a rate that is difficult for many communities to manage. According to infrastructurereportcard.org, the nation’s underground wastewater pipes are, on average, 45 years old with some systems exceeding 100 years. When you consider that the average life expectancy for these

Understanding The Difference Between Pump-Injected And Hand-Injected Grout For Wastewater Structure Rehabilitation Water and wastewater rehabilitation projects inevitably share one common challenge, infiltration issues. These are often leaks that are caused by cracks, missing mortar, deteriorated gaskets, pipe intrusions or a dozen other issues that allow groundwater to enter the structure. Unfortunately, once a leak occurs it will continue to worsen unless steps are taken to stop the infiltration of groundwater. At OBIC, we have earned a reputation for our industry-leading lining system that prevents infiltration from occurring. What is not so well known is that our

How Do You Rehab a Manhole? A Day In The Life Ever wondered about what the manhole rehabilitation process is like for OBIC certified installers? We had a camera crew follow Advanced Lining, an OBIC installer located in Utah, as they worked on a municipal manhole rehab in Moscow, Idaho. The city of Moscow had 17 aging manholes with groundwater infiltration issues. Although experienced in rehabilitation projects like this, the installation crew was challenged with an unusually cold October. They were also faced with a limited timeframe, as the project was in a residential neighborhood.

Are There ASTM Standards For Manhole Rehabilitation Methods? It is generally understood that the primary reasons for manhole rehabilitation are to stop inflow & infiltration, prevent hydrogen sulfide corrosion and restore structural integrity. At OBIC, we have talked extensively about inflow & infiltration as well as corrosion, but there seems to still be a lot of questions out there about how OBIC products help with structural issues. Two questions that we hear frequently are: What’s the definition of structural? What standard exists for manhole rehabilitation that defines structural? This blog post helps to answer those questions, but

Prevent Manhole Inflow And Infiltration Issues With These Tips From OBIC When was the last time you inspected your system’s manholes? If your answer is an awkward silence, you are not alone. Many municipalities face challenges with limited budgets and resources, so manhole inspections are often put on the backburner until a noticeable problem occurs. Unfortunately, this means that you could have a manhole that is leaking groundwater right now. Although you may not yet see the impact on operations, you could have a leak that looks like this.

What Is The Best Sewer System Coating? Everything You Need To Know About OBIC 1000 Every company believes its product is the best. Chevrolet believes their Silverado is better than Ford’s F-Series. Ford believes their F-Series is better than Dodge’s Ram, and the list goes on. The sewer lining coatings business is no different. When it comes to water and wastewater inflow/infiltration and corrosion issues there are a variety of options to choose from. Of course, only one rises to the top when it comes to long-lasting quality and a fast return on investment. It may come

Sewer Lining Products Are Just The Beginning – Here’s The Rest Of The Story At OBIC, we are passionate about our products. Some might even call us obsessive. We share product information on our website, give real-world application examples in our emails, and our sales team diligently discusses these benefits over the phone in a race to share OBIC products with our customers. Okay, that last part may be a slight exaggeration, but we really are excited to share the OBIC product advantage with everyone interested in water and wastewater system rehabilitation. That being said, our products

What Chemical Grout Works Best For Sewer System Inflow And Infiltration? Manhole rehabilitation projects often involve brick and concrete structures that have cracks, missing or mortar deteriorated gaskets, pipe protrusions or other pathways allowing groundwater to enter. This is a common problem that occurs in manholes across the world, but one that causes a unique problem for OBIC installers. Although OBIC products are scientifically designed to stop sewer system inflow and infiltration issues, they will not adhere to running water. Specifically designed to stop leaks in water and wastewater structures Fortunately, OBIC offers a complete line of

How Do OBIC Products Help Manhole Inflow And Infiltration Issues? The United States Environmental Protection Agency estimates that there are approximately 26 million manholes in the U.S. The majority of these structures are precast concrete manholes, cast in place concrete manholes and concrete block manholes, however, clay fired brick was a popular material used in the construction of manholes prior to the 1950s. A quick history lesson on precast concrete manholes In the post-World War II suburbia, young families in search of homes created a housing boom. Along with new homes, the rapid growth of communities

Polymer Sewer Lining Coatings Are Necessary To Protect Against These Types of Corrosion The need for polymer sewer lining coating When OBIC was founded, it was with the mission of providing a long-lasting, cost-effective barrier of protection for water and wastewater structures. Polymer coatings and lining systems have proven time and time again that they offer the best combination of price and performance for addressing sewer system inflow and infiltration issues. Our website and blog posts are filled with data and information to support this. If you are wondering why polymer sewer lining coatings are necessary in