The benefits of clay pipes for jetting and maintenance

No one wants a blockage in a drainage pipe! But blockages can and do occur and from time to time and clearance or pipe maintenance is needed. When it comes to high-pressure jetting, not all pipes are created equal though. In this article, we take a look at the advantages of clay pipes when maintaining operational efficiency using jetting.

Why is jetting needed?

Jetting is the use of high-pressure water jets to clean the inside of the drain and sewer. It is particularly important for buildings such as schools, hospitals and prisons where there’s a higher potential for the flushing of items that aren’t suitable for the sewers and can cause blockages, such as wet wipes, cotton buds and Fat, Oil and Grease (FOG). Jetting to clear blockages can cause damage to pipes if not done correctly. The maintenance team will need to consider the material and the pressure limits of the pipes being jetted, otherwise, the validity of the entire system may be compromised.

Pipe damage

The effects of pipeline damage from a jetting operation can be two-fold. In a high water table area, infiltration can occur, leading to the cost of treating additional waste water. Contaminated water can also seep out and pollute underground aquifers, leading to fines for water companies. High pressure jetting is often used because:

• Many jetting contractors carry equipment capable of jetting at higher pressures – above the 2600psi limit of flexible drainage systems.
• A significant proportion of blockages require high pressures to clear them.
• It can be difficult to determine what the maximum jetting pressure to avoid damage is, particularly in the case of the manhole being flooded which is often the case for blocked drains or sewers.

Such issues can be avoided with proper product specification and installation however the use of clay drainage offers considerably enhanced peace of mind in this area, particularly for projects such as schools, hospitals and prisons.

Jetting and Hepworth clay pipes

Hepworth Clay pipes have an unrivalled ability to withstand high-pressure jetting and are guaranteed against water jetting up to 7500psi. Vitrified Clay is a strong and sustainable product with a longer life expectancy than other materials, making it easy to maintain and remain fit for purpose for longer. Hepworth Clay is kitemarked to BS EN 295-1 and manufactured in the UK making a clear choice for specifiers looking to invest in the future performance of the system, having a low lifetime cost and a high whole life value.

The strength and durability of Hepworth Clay means it can also withstand any other cleaning and unblocking equipment, such as power rodding. Hepworth Clay’s SuperSleve comes with a Lifetime Jetting Guarantee up to 7,500psi (517bar) at a flow rate not exceeding 20 gals/min and held static for not more than 5 minutes. This operating pressure is 50% higher than the WRc (Water Research Centre) requirement for clay pipes.