Sometimes the best solution isn’t replacing everything.
A retirement housing facility was preparing for a major domestic water piping replacement due to concerns about aging infrastructure and system reliability. Initial estimates suggested the work could cost more than $1 million and would require significant disruption to residents and facility operations.
Before moving forward, Prism recommended ultrasonic testing of the building’s copper water mains to better understand their actual condition. Although the pipes had exceeded their expected service life, the project team wanted to confirm whether replacement was truly necessary or if portions of the system still had significant remaining life.
Using non-destructive ultrasonic testing, Prism evaluated the condition of the domestic water piping system and found that approximately 90% of the copper mains remained in good working condition. The assessment identified a limited number of sections that required replacement, allowing the client to focus investments where they were needed most rather than replacing the entire system.
The results were significant. Anticipated renewal costs were reduced from more than $1 million to approximately $300,000, while avoiding unnecessary disruption to residents and maximizing the remaining service life of the existing infrastructure.
The outcome:
- Reduced anticipated renewal costs by 60%
- Targeted replacement of high-risk sections of the system
- Minimized disruption to residents and facility operations
- Preserved infrastructure with significant remaining service life
- Supported more effective long-term capital planning
For building owners and operators, this project highlights the value of condition assessments and targeted investigations before implementing major capital investments. Understanding the actual condition of existing assets can reveal opportunities to extend service life, reduce costs, and focus resources where they will deliver the greatest value.