• Company is creating new market for trenchless water line solutions
CHESTERFIELD, MO, June 12, 2008 -- New contracts for trenchless rehabilitation of potable water lines by Insituform Technologies Inc. demonstrate that the company is developing the kind of dynamic market for solutions in the drinking water industry now that it created 35 years ago in the sewer and pipeline industries, the company announced today.
Insituform announced that it has secured contracts for about $3 million in water line rehabilitation projects using its Insituform Blue® potable water product line with:
• Monroe, Mich.
• Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas.
Insituform also recently completed an Insituform Blue® water main renewal project for South Salt Lake City, Utah, that has won the Project of the Year Award from the Utah Chapter of the American Public Works Association.
"This remarkable level of activity and achievement in such a short time reinforces Insituform's strategy to address the growing needs in the global water industry by creating the Insituform Blue® suite of products and developing the innovative technologies needed to ensure that people everywhere have access to clean, safe drinking water," said J. Joseph Burgess, Insituform's President and Chief Executive Officer. "We have the technology to halt the problems of leaks and water main breaks and especially the loss of treated water that is such a significant and unnecessary cost to municipalities. We are moving aggressively to deliver trenchless solutions for potable water lines that not only address our customers' needs, but also provide the technology that is least disruptive to homes and businesses."
Daniel Cowan, Insituform's Vice President -- Strategic Business Initiatives who directs Insituform Blue® operations, said the company has seen exciting growth in the water pipeline renewal industry in the last year. "Although Insituform has been in the potable water business for more than a decade, few people were even aware a year ago that there were trenchless solutions available for water lines. But we've seen the level of activity increase tremendously in the last 12 months as we have rolled out our Insituform Blue® products. Customers are learning that Insituform's trenchless technologies enable them to rehabilitate potable water pipelines in addition to sewer and other underground pipelines without digging that disrupts traffic, business, and residential areas."
In Monroe, Mich., the city is addressing problems with leaks, water main breaks, and water quality by having Insituform rehabilitate 11,500 feet of 8-inch water main with its Insituform Blue® products. The $2.3 million project includes the installation of 230 service connections using Insituform's revolutionary new iTAP® robotic device that restores connections from inside the rehabilitated pipe without digging.
"We're familiar with Insituform's dedication to the trenchless industry and, historically, we've used their products and technologies to rehabilitate sanitary sewers," said Barry LaRoy, Monroe Director of Water and Wastewater Utilities. "We're very confident in the long-run about using them now that they're moving into the water side of the industry."
Last year, Insituform renewed 1,900 feet of 8-inch water main with 33 service connections in Monroe as the city began a complete overhaul of its water system to stop leaks and water loss, increase capacity, and improve hydraulics. LaRoy said the city chose Insituform's Thermopipe® product, a close-fit pressure pipe system, because it provides a structural liner.
At Texas A&M, Insituform will rehabilitate 2,000 feet of 18-inch water line and 2,000 feet of 24-inch water line with its Insituform Blue® technologies. The university turned to Insituform for its trenchless technology to address problems with the water lines in two areas with heavy traffic and high population concentrations. The university had used a "dig and replace" approach to address problems with some other water lines, but wanted to provide the least disruption in the area where the $568,000 in work will be done by Insituform.
In South Salt Lake City, Insituform used its Thermopipe® product to rehabilitate 1,500 feet of 12-inch, steel water line that was threatened by the weight of an interstate highway expansion above it. Dennis Pay, Public Works Director for South Salt Lake City, said Insituform's Thermopipe® product and the 28 service connections installed using the iTAP® system were the perfect solution for the city's situation.
Insituform Technologies Inc. is a leading worldwide provider of proprietary technologies and services for rehabilitating sewer, water and other underground piping systems without digging or disruption.
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