An ultra-dense geopolymer mortar product is gaining traction as a trenchless pipeline repair remedy among cash-strapped municipalities, partly thanks to a recent Environmental Protection Agency vetting. U.S. wastewater and stormwater infrastructure requires $298 billion in upgrades over the next two decades, with pipelines accounting for 75% of total needs, reports the American Society of Civil Engineers. EcoCast is one cast-in-place pipeline (CIPP) solution, up to 60% faster and 50% cheaper than traditional dig-and-replace approaches, the manufacturer claims.
EcoCast describes the exclusive application process of a microfiber-reinforced cementious material made with fly-ash, called GeoSpray and first developed nearly a decade ago by GeoTree Technologies Inc. In 2012, the firm sold it to Milliken & Co., which made further material improvements. At present, GeoSpray is produced exclusively for Inland Pipe Rehabilitation, a Houston-based trenchless rehabilitation contractor that created EcoCast's proprietary spray and 5,000-rpm oscillating "spincast" application method. The firm would not divulge sales figures.