Keys to DuPage County’s Successful Rehab Project

In December 2024, DuPage County Public Works Department completed a strategically executed infrastructure rehabilitation project. It demonstrates how innovative partnerships, and advanced materials can effectively address complex infrastructure challenges.

The project, located in northeastern Illinois, has a population of more than 900,000 residents. Approximately 200,000 receive sewer and water services from DuPage County. It involved the rehabilitation of a critical lift station facing significant deterioration.

To pursue more cost-effective solutions for this critical project, the forward-thinking utility department chose to leverage their recently executed Omnia Partners contract with Insituform Technologies. This cooperative purchasing contract contains many trenchless rehabilitation methods including manhole/lift station rehabilitation. It is available to be utilized by other public utilities nationwide.

Evaluating Advanced Coatings

For this DuPage County project, Insituform evaluated several potential technical approaches to ensure optimal results. After careful consideration, Insituform recommended Epoxytec’s advanced coating system as the ideal technology solution for the lift station’s specific challenges. With the decision to utilize this specialized system, the team focused on addressing two implementation requirements. These were specialized crew training and equipment deployment.

Epoxytec, a subsidiary of Tnemec Co. offers product training through its ECAN (Epoxytec Certified Applicator Network) certification program. Three Insituform technicians — John Compton, Brad Schwerdt, and Michael Hart — completed professional training in Kansas City under Epoxytec director Vaughn O’Dea. The team arranged access to specialized spray application equipment needed for the high-performance coating system.

Evaluating Site Conditions

The rehabilitation process began with a thorough site survey to assess conditions and develop appropriate methodologies. The team identified several technical challenges. These included active flow management requirements, an existing failing coating system, potential through-wall deterioration in the substrate, and potential cold weather application conditions with ambient temperatures below 10 F.

The comprehensive plan included strategic bypass pumping. It used flow-through plugs and cam locks, requiring 24/7 monitoring. Preparation involved abrasive blasting to achieve SSPC-SP10/NACE No. 2 Near-White Metal cleanliness standard with a 4.0 mil angular anchor profile. There was contingency planning for substrate repairs using pre-rolled steel pieces and on-site welding capabilities if through-wall deterioration was discovered. Fortunately, these contingency measures proved unnecessary. DuPage County took responsibility for removing pipes, structural elements, and pumps from both the 20-ft deep carbon steel wet well and 8-ft deep valve vault. This reduced project scope while maintaining high quality standards.

Despite challenging winter conditions and temperatures below 10 F, the Insituform crew created a controlled application environment. They enclosed the work area to minimize wind and cold exposure. Moreover, they deployed indirect-fired heaters to achieve approximately 85 F ambient temperature. This allowed sufficient pre-heating time to bring substrate temperature to approximately 75 F and maintain controlled temperature throughout application and cure phases.

Selecting CPP Sprayliner

Epoxytec CPP Sprayliner (Series 456) was selected based on several critical performance attributes. These included superior bonding in high-humidity, high-condensation environments typical of sanitary sewer systems; high film strength capable of withstanding hydrostatic pressure; rapid cure technology achieving water resistance in less than an hour under optimized conditions; ultra-high build capability allowing efficient single-coat application; chemical resistance ensuring long-term performance in aggressive wastewater environments; and seamless barrier creation against inflow and infiltration (I&I).

The high-performance Epoxytec CPP Sprayliner was applied using plural component spray equipment to ensure even distribution. Applicators focused on proper overlap techniques, consistent application speed, optimal spray distance from substrate, and regular wet film thickness measurements. This ensured specification compliance.

A unique challenge was infiltration at submersible pump anchor bolt locations. The client requested anchor bolts remain uncoated for future maintenance access. CPP Sprayliner’s rapid cure properties allowed effective sealing while accommodating client requirements.

During project execution, the team demonstrated experience-based decision making. Upon completing valve vault surface preparation, inspection revealed the upper portion didn’t require rehabilitation. The team adjusted scope, applying CPP Sprayliner only to the bottom 3 to 4 ft of the 8-ft deep valve vault. This preserved resources and demonstrated value-conscious decision making while enhancing client satisfaction.

Michael Lovell from Tnemec’s Technical Services and local representative Joshua Otten from Tnemec/Epoxytec were on site throughout the project. They brought valuable experience with manhole rehabilitation and similar equipment. When abrasive blasting equipment experienced issues with a plugged metering valve — common when operating without water separators on the compressor — Lovell quickly assisted in clearing the metering valve. This got the project back on track with minimal delay.

Successful Completion

The rehabilitation was completed successfully, delivering significant cost savings while extending service life for critical infrastructure with minimal service disruption. The high-quality, warranted rehabilitation was achieved despite challenging conditions, demonstrating capabilities of both the application team and material system.

DuPage County Public Works Department expressed high satisfaction with the project’s execution and outcomes. Their positive response to the quality of work and professional implementation stands as strong testament to this infrastructure rehabilitation effort’s success.

This collaboration between DuPage County, Insituform, and Epoxytec exemplifies how strategic partnerships between forward-thinking utilities, experienced contractors, and innovative material manufacturers can transform infrastructure challenges into opportunities. By combining respective expertise, the project was completed efficiently while achieving excellent results. This created a sustainable infrastructure management model delivering lasting value to communities served.

Silvia Caputi is marketing manager at Epoxytec LLC.