West County Wastewater adopts high-speed tracking tech for force main assessments

West County Wastewater adopts high-speed tracking tech for force main assessmentsThe California utility is abandoning traditional slow-moving diagnostic tools in favour of disintegrable foam pigging technology to map and assess its pipeline network without prolonged shutdowns.

WCW contracted Pressure Pipe Consulting Company to utilize a new diagnostic tool that travels at 50 feet per second, compared to the 12 feet per minute of its previous system.

The disintegrable foam pigging technique eliminates the need for large lake tanks and prolonged shutdowns, lowering the risk of the tool getting stuck in the pipeline.

The utility's board is scheduled to consider a contract for the associated civil work, including bypasses and launch barrels, in July 2026.

The assessment is the final phase of a six-year program that has already led to the replacement of three force mains to eliminate single points of failure.

West County Wastewater (WCW) in California is upgrading its pipeline assessment strategy, deploying new high-speed diagnostic technology to complete the final phase of a six-year force main assessment program. During a June 16 committee meeting, WCW staff outlined the transition from its previous assessment provider, PICA, to Pressure Pipe Consulting Company (PPCC). The district's board authorized a sole-source contract with PPCC in March 2026, officially entering into the agreement on April 6. The new proprietary methodology blends traditional foam pigging with modern electronics. Project Manager William Silver noted that the new tool can move through the pipeline at 50 feet per second, a massive increase over the 12 feet per minute achieved by the previous equipment. Silver emphasized that the new technology mitigates significant operational and financial risks. Older, multi-million-dollar tools required immediate excavation if they became stuck. In contrast, the PPCC tool is encased in a foam pig that disintegrates if trapped, pushing the electronics through the system. The approach also eliminates the need for prolonged shutdowns and large temporary infrastructure, such as lake tanks. While the high-speed tool offers slightly lower resolution than the previous method, it captures extensive mapping data that correlates with pipeline defects, allowing the district to pinpoint exact excavation depths and locations for future repairs. To facilitate the tool run—planned for as early as August 2026—the district is currently soliciting proposals for associated civil work. The board of directors is expected to approve a contract for this work, which includes plug valve removal, hot taps, bypasses, and launch and receive barrels, at its July 15, 2026 meeting. The diagnostic run marks the culmination of a comprehensive force main evaluation effort. General Manager Andrew Clough and Deputy General Manager Michael Savannah noted that prior to the program's launch roughly six years ago, the district had no condition data on its force mains, which featured multiple single points of failure. The district has since replaced three force mains to build redundancy, with another replacement planned at La Honda following the completion of a county road project late next year.