The protection of wetlands and other ecological sites is part of the national government’s commitment to the preservation of Australia’s flora and fauna. The Department of the Environment and Energy has authored several laws centred on the conservation of these spaces to ensure that this pristine beauty is maintained for future generations of Australians and tourists. The following project is designed to give back to the environment and improve water levels in Perth’s underground aquifers. While these improvements may disturb the site in the short term, steps were taken to greatly minimise the impact on the environment – in ways that were made possible by using new PE pipe technology – HSCR material.

A Case Study: HSCR Pipe used for Perth’s Groundwater Replenishment Scheme

Water Corporation’s plan to replenish groundwater supplies – the Groundwater Replenishment Scheme – is a proposal to duplicate the existing advanced Beenyup Wastewater Treatment Plant in Craigie and connect it with 12.8km of PE pipe to recharge facilities in Wanneroo and Neerabup. Wastewater treated to drinking-water standards will be transported through the pipeline to the two sites and enable another 14 billion litres to be injected annually into the Leederville and Yarragadee aquifers. The scheme is the first of its kind in Australia and it is anticipated that groundwater replenishment could supply up to 20 per cent of Perth’s drinking water by 2060. Most of the pipeline will be within the Yellagonga Regional Park, alongside the eastern edge of Lake Joondalup. This area contains many pine trees, which are the foraging habitat for Carnaby’s black cockatoos –  an endangered species. EPA chairman Tom Hatton said techniques would be used to keep the impact to a minimum. “Some sections of the pipeline would be constructed using technologies such as micro-tunnelling or horizontal directional drilling to avoid the clearing of native vegetation in sensitive banksia woodland,” he said. Due to the soil conditions in the area, HSCR pipe was selected as the material of choice for the pipeline. What is PE100 HSCR resin? PE100 HSCR resin is a special high-quality material, which has increased resistance to slow crack growth that may be initiated by rock or root impingement or damage to the pipe during installation. HSCR pipe has a significantly increased resistance to stress cracking, compared to PE 100 material. Not many companies in Australia can manufacture PE100 HSCR pipe, as the material has to be kept completely separate from other HDPE material. Acu-Tech Piping Systems manufactures PE100 HSCR pipe in Western Australia from Alkadyne® HCR193B. Most HDPE pipe sizes manufactured by Acu-Tech are available in PE100 HSCR material upon request, including PN20, and co-ex white jacket HDPE pipe. See this page for more information. HSCR pipe can withstand the higher stresses and prolong the service life of trenchless installations. If normal HDPE pipe was used, installation techniques such as HDD may put the pipe under additional stress and limit the service life. Alternatively, if the HDD installation method was not used, the entire 1.3 km would have to be excavated and the pipeline buried, with a significant amount of bush cleared. The use of HDD really made the difference to leave the indigenous fauna and flora in the park undisturbed.  In the end, a DN800 mm PN20 HSCR pipe was installed in two HDD sections of up to 1.3km length. Alkadyne HCR193B was selected by utilities in both cases to improve asset life and durability.

Benefits of HDPE pipe installed with Horizontal Directional Drilling:

  • Easy to Install
HDPE pipes are light and easy to handle. These attributes make it easy for workers to transport, handle, and install the pipes in a timely manner. Additionally, unlike other types of pipes, it does not require the heavy and complicated machinery to process it for modifications.
  • Highly Flexible
The high-density polyethene material it is made of makes it highly flexible. This gives it the ability to easily adapt to the design it will be used for. Aside from this, its malleability makes it so that it can be easily installed without much disruption to its surroundings.
  • Damage Resistant
HDPE pipes are widely known for their corrosion and chemical resistant properties. These give it the advantage of being assembled with heat fused joints which gives it leak resistance properties that help prevent water-related damage.
  • Cost-Efficient
The durability that HDPE pipes offer makes it a cost-efficient alternative to steel pipes. Its resistance to abrasive liquids and other chemical agents gives it a lifespan of at least 50 years.

HDPE Pipes and Fittings from Acu-Tech Piping Systems

Acu-Tech Piping Systems was founded in 2000 to provide Australians with innovative piping solutions. In almost 20 years, we have risen to be a market leader in pipe manufacturing. This is the result of our state-of-the-art facilities and dedication to the creation of high-quality products. We specialise in HDPE pipe and fittings as we see their ability to provide clients with innovative solutions for the challenges they face. Our industry expertise leads us to believe that this piping system is highly applicable for water installations in protected national landmarks. For more information about our products and services, call us on (08) 9238 8000 or send an email of your enquiries to sales@acu-tech.com.au. Disclaimer: As always with information supplied by Acu-Tech Piping Systems, we supply it as a guide in the interest of better understanding of the technical properties of our products. However, the application of such information may involve engineering judgements which cannot be correctly made without intimate knowledge of all the conditions pertaining to a specific installation. Acu-Tech Piping Systems does not act as a consultant in this regard; the responsibility for the use of any information or advice contained herein rests solely with the user. It should not be used in place of a professional engineer’s judgement or advice and is not intended as installation instructions. See full disclaimer at Acu-Tech Privacy Policy.