The brief
Affinity Water called us to a leak on a 14 inch water main in Staines. A 14 inch main sits on the trunk side of distribution — too big to casually take out of service without a real impact on the supply network downstream. The job was raised under the Affinity R&M framework.
Our approach
An encapsulation collar was the right call. Encapsulation is a bolted-on repair collar fitted around the leaking section of pipework, sealing against the parent main while the main stays live and in service. No shutdown, no supply zone isolation, no downstream disruption while the repair was made.
The alternative would have been a cut-out and replacement, which on a 14 inch main means shutting the supply, isolating valves, draining the section, and then the reverse on completion. A few hours of work for the repair, but a full day or more of disruption for customers on the other end of that main.
- Main diameter
- 14 inch
- Technique
- Encapsulation collar
- Supply impact
- Main stayed in service
- Client framework
- Affinity Water R&M
Outcome
Leak stopped, main back to normal operating pressure, no network shutdown required. See our broader water mains repair and maintenance work for water companies, and our other encapsulation work at Chertsey treatment works for context on how we use the technique on live strategic assets.
