Safe and smart pipe installation works

This project will describe and evaluate rapid methods for monitoring water quality that are directly linked to specific interventions in establishing new drinking water pipes.

About the project

This project will describe and evaluate rapid methods for monitoring water quality that are directly linked to specific interventions (both planned and unplanned) in establishing new drinking water pipes. By using online and rapid methods, the goal is to shorten the time during which the water quality is uncertain, by understanding the microbial dynamics in the context of these installations. This will reduce the amount of water that needs to be flushed and allow more time- and cost- efficient management of drinking water distribution.

Knowledge compilation, data collection and guidelines

In the first phase of the project, an initial compilation of knowledge is produced based on the project’s focus areas, which are microbial growth in new pipes and faster analysis methods for microbial parameters. In the next step, data collection is carried out during ongoing pipe installation works by means of flow cytometry and other available methods for online measurement of drinking water quality. In addition to this, two relevant master studies will be carried out, based on a microbiological and a cost-benefit perspective, respectively.

The last step in the project is to, based on results from previous parts, develop a proposal for guidelines for how fast and safe maintenance works can be performed. Fast and quality-assured maintenance work is expected to lead to reduced investment costs, societal costs and drinking water losses as a result of prolonged flushing.