One of our customers received a FDNY violation after they became aware that there was no curb valve on the fire sprinkler main. The property owner called us to assess the situation and assist in determining how to resolve the open violation.
One of our field estimators made a site visit and quickly determined that the existing pipe was more than sixty years old and for this reason, we could not install a curb valve on the old and corroded pipe. We must proceed with a full water line replacement which will include a new curb valve and OS&Y valve.
Per our standard protocol, we began trenching the roadway and sidewalk in preparation for the new pipe to be installed. Once the excavation was completed we tested the wet connection valve which connects the water main to the city main. The wet connection was nearly one hundred years old and must be handled with care. The crew began exercising the valve before coming aware that the valve does not function, we could not get the valve to close.
We are required to close to stop the water from the city main before the pipe is removed. In addition to the valve being non functional, it began leaking when we attempted to close it. We not had to get the DEP involved for a city main closure which was to be scheduled a few days after the city tested the city water main valves.
Within a few days we received the approval to schedule the city main shut down and the new wet connection installation. We were required to obtain a new wet connection permit which included the cost of the wet connection and DEP installing the new valve.
Once the new wet connection was installed we were able to proceed with the job as usual. We closed the new wet connection, removed the old corroded pipe and began installing the new ductile iron sprinkler main. The installation was completed the same day that the wet connection was installed. In addition, we were able to obtain the DEP inspection once the pipe was installed and back fill the roadway.
Our restoration crews finalized the concrete and asphalt restoration within a few days of the new piping installation. After a few hurdles we were able to completed the installation and relieve the FDNY violation for the property owner.
