Casselberry Asbestos Cement Pipe Bursting Project Moving Forward by Leaving it Behind

Abstract

The City of Casselberry is nearing the end of its water quality improvement projects, which have utilized prechlorinated potable water main pipe bursting to replace approximately 35 mi (184,800 linear ft) of asbestos cement (AC) pipe. This project is likely the largest of its kind in the United States. The project has received $10.3 million in funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection's (FDEP) State Revolving Fund Program. The City, engineer, and contractor have worked very closely with FDEP and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to determine the applicability of the National Emissions Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP) to the fractured pieces of AC pipe remaining in the ground after the pipe bursting process. Utilization of pipe bursting over traditional open cut provides many environmental, social, and economical benefits to the City's customers and residents. This paper will describe the working process in place to burst AC pipe while meeting all EPA regulations and will describe all the efforts to complete the project.