Client: Woodruff Road LLC / Adams Property Group
Location: Aiken, SC
Year Completed: 2025
Services: Directional boring, HDPE pipe installation (200 LF, 14″ DR 11), trenchless drain repair, concrete cutting & restoration, catch basin repair, vacuum excavation
Client Type: Commercial Property Management
Challenge
A commercial property managed by Adams Property Group faced a failed 18″ reinforced concrete pipe (RCP) drainage line that had become blocked with hardened sediment and could no longer carry stormwater to the on-site retention pond. The traditional fix — open-trench excavation — would have required deep digging, pond grubbing and mucking, significant re-engineering, and major surface disruption across the paved property. The client needed a permanent, cost-effective solution that minimized site impact.
Solution
PlumbX engineered a trenchless pipe-in-pipe solution, using the existing failed 18″ RCP as a carrier to bore and pull 200 linear feet of 14″ HDPE DR 11 pipe into place. The process involved running a bore stem through the impacted drain line, back-reaming to break up hardened sediment, and making multiple passes to flush obstructions before pulling the new HDPE pipe into position. Fusion services were used to join pipe sections, and a vacuum truck managed bore mud throughout. Where surface cuts were unavoidable, PlumbX handled full concrete cutting, removal, and pour-back. Mid-project, heavy rainfall caused additional site complications — PlumbX issued a change order to address catch basin repairs, supplemental concrete work, and extended labor required to restore site integrity after weather delays.
Results
The stormwater drainage system was permanently restored without open-trench excavation of the failed line, avoiding the need for pond grubbing, deep excavation, or re-engineering of the retention pond outlet. The new corrosion-resistant HDPE pipe provides long-term performance with proper annual maintenance. The project was completed at a total of $176,484 — significantly less than a full open-cut alternative would have cost given site conditions.
