Roth: New Drinking Water Interconnection Pipeline

The Stadtwerke Roth have begun installing a new drinking water interconnection pipeline from the Roth waterworks to secure the long-term drinking water supply. Rocky subsoil and confined construction site widths were just some of the challenges that had to be overcome. They chose the egeplast NoDig SLM® 3.0 pipe system, which was predominantly installed using the horizontal directional drilling method.

Installation of the Drinking Water Interconnection Pipeline

In Roth, Franconia, the Stadtwerke began installing an approximately 1,000 m long new drinking water interconnection pipeline in autumn 2024 as part of a comprehensive construction project. This pipeline runs from the waterworks to Elevated Tank I – Lot 2 in Roth. The objective of the new drinking water interconnection pipeline is to ensure the long-term independent supply of safe drinking water.

A highly complex construction project, as the topsoil profile varies on the one hand and the subsoil is partly gravelly but to a considerable extent also very rocky on the other. In addition, adverse weather conditions with low temperatures, unusually frequent and heavy precipitation, and high humidity created additional challenges. Professional work preparation, structured coordination of the project, and not least sufficient experience of all parties involved were therefore all the more important. The client is Stadtwerke Roth, who commissioned IB ITEC Ingenieure Kellermann GmbH from Nuremberg as the planning office. egeplast NoDig SLM® 3.0 pipes were installed, supplied by the distributor Muffenrohr Neutraubling and installed by the construction company PRO BAU Ingenieur- und Rohrleitungsbau GmbH from Passau.

Selected Installation Methods

“Due to the specifications by various road authorities – such as private and public forestry – as well as the locally available working space widths of the forest roads, a large portion was installed using the so-called directional drilling method – approximately 800 m of the total 1,000 m. A particular challenge was the existing ground in the form of hard rock.” Dipl.-Ing. (FH) Peter Obermeier, Site Manager of PRO BAU from Passau.

Installation Challenges

The cool temperatures of the construction project, which was predominantly located in a forest, also made the project more difficult. Therefore, the welding parameters of the NoDig SLM® 3.0 were adapted in advance to the corresponding butt fusion welding machine, so that the welds could be carried out properly and technically flawlessly.

The frequent precipitation also made it more difficult to use the construction site roads to the individual pipe sections with construction machinery and the directional drilling rig weighing 21 tons. This hurdle was also successfully overcome through precise planning and optimization of work processes.

After completion of the drinking water interconnection pipeline construction site in spring 2025, the new drinking water pipeline will go into operation immediately.