Coliban Water is currently upgrading a 96-year-old pipe in the Bendigo CBD’s well-known Charing Cross intersection using a trenchless technique called Rib-Loc.

It involves relining the original 1923 pipe with a spiral bound PVC that is fed through a manhole.

Coliban Water infrastructure manager Corey Bourne said it was envirnomental friendly and minimised disruption to traffic.

“It's handy that you don't have to excavate, dig a trench, rip up the road and cause a lot of destruction,” he said.

“We have other technologies like directional drilling, but this (rib Loc) utilises existing pipe and is designed to Australian standards.

“Not having to excavate means there’s environmental and traffic benefits. It is a cost-effective way of doing that.”

The renewal of the main near Alexandra Fountain is part of a number of projects Coliban Water undertakes to maintain 1957 kilometres of sewer mains in the region.

“We have thousands of kilometres of sewer pipes, so need a program like this to (maintain them),” Mr Bourne said.

In 2017/18, Coliban Water renewed 6.1 kilometres of sewer main at a cost of $1.2 million.

“Some (pipes) need replacing after 50 or 60 years but on average the life span is 100 or 110 years,” Mr Bourne said.

“Some older pipes will go beyond 100 years as long as we maintain, clean and inspect them.

“The main under Charing Cross was constructed in 1923 and is the original concrete pipe from the first Bendigo sewer system.

“When the Bendigo sewer system was completed in 1923 it had an instant impact on people’s lives, dramatically reducing the number of deaths related to water-borne diseases, such as cholera and typhoid.”

The works are scheduled to take place at night from 9pm to 6am on Sunday, February 17 to Tuesday, February 19 to minimised disruption to customers, businesses and traffic.

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