One particular manhole in the Valarosa Subdivision had been leaking since installation, robbing the town of critical sewer and treatment capacity as the growing town expanded. A combination of a high water table, unstable soil and large voids in the soil had combined to create a leak which was costing the Town of Didsbury more than $7,700 per year to treat!

After reviewing the site, Caliber Systems Inc. and Martech determined that there were several leaks, one flowing at over 7 gallons per minute! The added groundwater had also caused a nearby pump station to shut down at one point, adding to the problems posed by this infiltration! Previous attempts to seal the chamber were doing little to slow the water flow, so Martech's Derek Traquair coordinated a repair with Vince Quirico from Caliber Systems. Prime Resins Field Technician Scott Kelly was on hand to seal the leak and train John Nyguen from Caliber Systems on the correct application and installation of Prime Resins materials.

Scott and John used a combination of Prime Resins products: Oakum saturated in HydroGel SX were used to stem the water flow and Prime-Flex 920, with its high expansion rate was then used to shut down the gushing leaks at the base. The flexible HydroGel SX was then used again to seal the joint rings above the base, creating a dry manhole! With about two hours installation time, using Prime Resins provided a cost-effective solution for Caliber Systems Inc. and the Town of Didsbury. The end result has been a dry chamber and payback in materials of less than 4 months!

Thanks to the training that Prime Resins and Martech are able to provide, Caliber Systems Inc. is now in a better position to solve infiltration problems and add value and quality for their customers! Click here to read the detailed testimonial letter from Caliber Systems' manager of Contracts and Estimating, Alan MacKeigan.

Martech and Prime Resins are working with other municipalities and contractors to reduce their water treatment costs. Contact your Martech technical representative for personal assistance on how Prime Resins can solve infiltration problems in your community!