There are thousands of manholes in Seattle critical to the city’s wastewater system. Interestingly, Seattle has some of the most beautiful manhole covers in the country, designed by prominent local artists. But in some cases, those aesthetically interesting covers hide big problems that pose risks to public health and wastewater systems.
Seattle Manhole Rehabilitation
Seattle manholes contain different components, each of which can break down causing problems. Each manhole component has different breakdown risks and timelines for deterioration. That also means each component needs to be treated differently in the repair and rehabilitation process. Proper repair requires expertise.
The most common manhole materials of the past were:
- Brick and mortar
- Precast concrete
Today, advanced materials for manholes include:
- Polymer concrete
- High-density polyurethane
- Fiberglass
For manhole rehab discussions, it’s the old materials of brick, mortar, and concrete that deteriorate and require partial or total rehabilitation.
Manhole issues that require rehabilitation
Corrosion
Concrete corrosion is usually due to rapid bacterial growth that creates hydrogen sulfide gas that metabolizes into sulfuric acid which eats away at the structure.
Infiltration
This term refers to groundwater leaching into a sanitary sewer system through a leaky or cracked manhole causing excess treatment costs and taxing wastewater capacity.
Exfiltration
With exfiltration, wastewater leaks out of the sanitary sewer system through damaged manholes releasing untreated wastewater that can put public health at risk.
Budget Sewer offers manhole rehabilitation services
Manhole rehabilitation intends to restore structural integrity, address the corrosion, exfiltration, or infiltration, and prevent and protect the manhole from future breakdown. Only experienced contractors should be tasked with rehabilitation since manholes are critical to infrastructure and public health.
Budget Sewer has expertise in manhole rehabilitation and uses the latest technology to ensure a thorough inspection, assessment of issues, and selection of the appropriate rehab measures and materials for repair.
Our experts will conduct a detailed visual inspection of the manhole and target the underlying problems and take steps to correct those issues and prevent against future deterioration. Budget Sewer’s manhole rehabilitation process includes:
- Assessment of the type of rehabilitation required for each manhole.
- Surface preparation and cleaning.
- Acquisition of appropriate repair materials within guidelines and regulations.
- Correction of leaks and corrosion.
- To stop leaks, we may apply urethane grout, cement mortar lining, or use a combination of cement mortar and hydraulic cement.
- To correct corrosion, we consider the root cause and may use a mortar cement liner and/or epoxy lining when the ongoing risk of corrosion is high.
- Repair bench and inverts.
- Apply new liner to prevent future corrosion. There are excellent protective epoxy linings specifically developed for municipal wastewater systems that serve as both physical and chemical barriers.
To find out more about Budget Sewer’s manhole rehabilitation services, contact us today.