The world record for horizontal directional drilling (HDD) using 36-inch ductile iron pipe was recently broken as AMERICAN Flex-Ring Ductile Iron Pipe was pulled 1,740 feet in Pasco County, Florida. The owner, Pasco County Utilities, is installing a new sewer force main to carry wastewater to Shady Hills Regional Wastewater Treatment Plant. Including the HDD installation, approximately 11,040 feet of 30- and 36-inch AMERICAN Flex-Ring Pipe and 28,560 feet of 30- and 36-inch AMERICAN Fastite Pipe were used in the project.

In the waterworks industry, Pasco County Utilities is seen as an HDD pioneer. Two previous HDD installations in Pasco County using 36-inch ductile iron pipe set or tied world records – one in 2006 with a pullback of 940 feet and in 2014 with a pullback of 1,640 feet. HDD is a technique where pipe joints are assembled in a complete string or individual sections above ground and then pulled through a pathway drilled under natural or manmade obstacles, minimizing environmental impact and surface disruption.

“From delivery, installation and testing, and then onto pipeline operation, we are confident in the reliability of AMERICAN’s product,” said Pasco County Utilities Project Manager John Voda.

The engineer for this project was Florida Design Consultants, Inc. in New Port Richey, Florida. Garney Construction with a regional office in Winter Garden, Florida, was the contractor, and TB Landmark Construction, Inc. in Jacksonville, Florida, was the HDD subcontractor.

Read HDD: The Right Choice for Pasco County’s Pipe Installation to learn more about Pasco County Utilities’ 2014 pullback of at that time a record 1,640 feet of 36-inch AMERICAN Flex –Ring Pipe. This 2014 project also included two other pullbacks of 1,140 feet and 1,340 feet.

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