Melbourne Water has a piping and aqueduct network carrying water from water reservoirs to treatment plants to supply Melbourne. This network is in varying degrees of conditions, being continually maintained and worked on to make sure the water gets to the people of Melbourne.

 

Part of this network is the Corranderrk aqueduct. Based on the success of the Barwon Water channel remediation, ITL was asked to line a section of the Corranderrk aqueduct that had two leaks that were measuring some 60 megalitres a year. The channel was over 40 years old and it was almost impossible to determine where the leak or leaks were occurring in the channel structure within the identified 400 metre section.

 

The aqueduct was emptied, cleaned and allowed to dry. While there were cracks of less than 3mm, no patch work was undertaken. Two coats of ITL membrane; DPL11 (AS4020 compliant) were applied at the rate of 0.9 litres per square metre. This was allowed to cure for 4 days and the channel was put back into service.

 

The leak was reduced to zero at the first site and 1.3Ml per annum rate in second (it could not be established if this was ground water), representing a 97% reduction. 12 months later the leak from both is zero, confirming the ongoing leak was ground water (the dry spell reducing ground water seepage).

 

The ITM Liner™ solution provided Melbourne Water with significant savings over other liner alternatives.  ITL is continuing to line channels and aqueducts for Melbourne Water.