Water Main Swabbing

There’s No Escaping It Water main swabbing is the forceful introduction of a large sponge through a pipe to remove debris such as stones and sand before undertaking chlorine testing procedures prior to the ultimate activation of the water main.

All Clear. All Clean. CWW’s water main swabbing equipment comes complete with mounted pump units which provide comprehensive water main cleaning services for both new contractor-fitted installations and for existing water distribution systems managed by municipalities.

Maximum Penetration The swabbing system itself is composed of a water tank, pump and swab chamber. The customer prepares the section of water main to be swabbed with a riser positioned at each end. The assigned CWW crew member subsequently sets up at one end and connects the system to the riser. Water is then drawn from a hydrant or water supply on-site and is pumped into the water main through the riser. A cylindrical sponge with a cone nose is pushed into the swab chamber and propelled by the water pressure generated by the pump throughout the length of the water main. The process ends when the swab vacates the water main along with sand and stone debris it brings with it through the other riser. Generally, the process is repeated 3 to 5 times until the last sponge that has fully penetrated the pipe is clean and approved by the City Inspector. CWW can also manipulate valves in the waterlines to complete the swabbing of multiple water main sections from the same setup area.

Note: Water main swabbing is now required for new water main installations in many municipalities including the City of Ottawa.