Borealis BorSafe LS-H solution generates 30% cost saving for rural infrastructure project

A new 7.2km long wastewater disposal system connecting a farming community in Germany to a centralized network has used an innovative pipe material and no-dig laying combination to achieve a long-term efficient, cost-effective solution with project cost savings of up to 30%. Haarbach District Authority in Bavaria chose RAUPROTECT pipes from Rehau based on BorSafe HE3490 LS-H, a polyethylene material (PE 100) from Borealis, a leading provider of innovative, value creating plastics solutions, to ensure a permanently leak-proof solid pressure pipe system for Anleng area residents, as part of a programme of local infrastructure improvements.

The previous decentralised waste collection system for the rural inhabitants of Anleng generated considerable annual expense for the district authority which was keen to minimise such costs and raise the level of service provided to the local community.

To connect the farms while avoiding destruction of a freshly laid road surface, the authority opted for a fast and economic no-dig laying technique using Horizontal Directional Drilling to position the pipeline at a depth of two metres alongside the road.

"Pipes based on BorSafe HE3490 LS-H were selected for the Anleng project because of their outstanding ability to overcome the challenges of trenchless laying and the specific environmental conditions of this project," comments Frank Krause, Rehau, who provided technical support and on-site supervision for the project.

Modern pipeline laying systems create a disproportionate increase in the loads to which pipe material is subjected, in particular the high tensile forces during pipe installation and the lack of a protective sand bed. In this case, special attention had to be paid to the potentially-damaging high stone content of the soil and the need to secure the long-term safety of an adjacent drinking water protection zone. Planning also had to account for a height difference of up to 40 metres.

BorSafe HE3490 LS-H is a black, high-density PE material produced using Borealis' unique Borstar® technology. BorSafe bimodal PE pipes offer excellent resistance to slow cracking, providing maximum protection from the wear and damage that can occur during transportation and installation. Their resilience to point loads caused by sharp-edged stones or bedding materials and to potential pipe wall stress generated by external loads such as traffic, earth settlement or line junctions, adds to the pipe's ability to ensure defect-free operation throughout an economic service life of at least 100 years. Furthermore, the high flexibility of the material ensures pipeline systems remain undamaged in the event of earth movements or earthquake shocks.

Following installation, the planners from Coplan of Passau, Germany calculated that savings of up to 30% had been achieved in comparison with open trench installation. Moreover, owing to the top quality of BorSafe HE3490 LS-H, the minimal scoring caused by the laying process would have no influence on the pipe's life expectancy.

Frank Krause concludes: "The combination of Rehau's high performance BorSafe-based pipes and the laying technique used ensured a fast and cost-efficient construction process. Importantly, Haarbach District Authority can be secure in the knowledge that the new wastewater disposal pipe system will provide a long-term solution for Anleng residents."

For further information please contact:

Borealis: Kerstin Meckler
Group Media Relations Manager
Vienna, Austria
+43 1 22 400 389
kerstin.meckler@borealisgroup.com

REHAU AG + Co: Holger Steingraeber
Ytterbium 4, 91058 Erlangen, Germany
Tel. +49 9131 92 5736, holger.steingraeber@rehau.com

Tanja Nürnberger
Tel. +49 9131 92 5496, tanja.nuernberger@rehau.com