Triple Threat Creates A Tough Challenge For Pennsylvania Water Authority

A well-known university, a busy main street, a 100-year-old pipeline and a tight deadline made for a tough challenge for crews attempting to install a 12-inch AMERICAN Fastite pipe in State College, Pennsylvania, this past summer. In early May, the State College Borough Water Authority began a project to replace the old 6-inch cast iron pipeline located on College Avenue across from Pennsylvania State University (PSU) before the beginning of fall classes in August – a timetable of just 15 weeks.

This project was the last of a four-phase, $6 million water main distribution replacement project that began seven years ago. The project, in total, replaced more than 10,000 feet of pipe over a 2-mile distance on Beaver and College avenues, two highly traveled streets that run parallel to each other. Phase four of the project included replacing 3,000 feet of the original 6-inch cast iron pipe on College Avenue with 12-inch AMERICAN Fastite pipe, using AMERICAN Fast-Grip gaskets.