AVT’s EZ Valve has been used to create a control point at the San Antonio Water & Sewer (SAWS) main pump station after a header was found to be leaking and required repair. The header needed to be isolated to ensure the station could continue pumping and supplying a large area of the city, which is the 7th largest in the US.
AVT’s distributor and installer Rangeline Group has an ongoing relationship with SAWS so were called on for a solution. They immediately suggested the installation of an insertion valve which could be cut in under full pressure with no need to shut off the flow. The 18” AVT EZ Valve would be the ideal piece of equipment for the job.
Rangeline’s National Sales Director, Greg Foushi said: “Due to the configuration of the pipes feeding the pump station, an isolation point was required on a narrow section of pipe. On either side of the pipe section was the leaking header and a branched off tee that was still continually feeding parts of the city. The new isolation point would enable the pump station to continue to produce the pressures (80 to 90 PSI) and volumes required to maintain its normal water supply to the city, while the header repair was taking place.”
The AVT EZ Valve, an insertion valve, uses an integral isolation gate, which when operated after the slot has been milled into the pipe, allows the EM machine, which milled the slot, to be removed and the resilient wedge installed. This process means the valve can be installed on a live line while the water is flowing. The resilient wedge needs to be lowered just 2/3 of the way into the pipe to commission the installation meaning users have the choice of when to activate the valve.
AVT’s VP of Global Sales, Shawn Petty said: “Rangeline is a trusted and valued AVT partner and knew the EZ Valve would be the right solution to SAWS’ issue. Installing large valves such as these is a highly skilled job and one Rangeline was totally prepared to carry out after many years of installing EZ Valves. We’re delighted our technology offered the solution to this tricky issue.”
