NORTHWEST TERRITORIES, CANADA: BURIED WATER AND SEWER SERVICE CONNECTIONS IN PERMAFROST AREAS.

Water and sewer service connections in the continuous and discontinuous permafrost regions of the Northwest Territories of Canada are characterized by special design features that make them functional in a harsh environment. They are designed and constructed to prevent water or sewage from freezing in pipes exposed to low ground temperatures and to ensure the structural integrity of service piping where it may be affected by frost action and permafrost degradation in trenches. The common practice in permafrost areas of the Northwest Territories is to insulate water and sewer service pipes, to install some form of freeze protection (recirculation of water in service pipes, heat tracing, etc. ), and to bury the pipes at shallow depths, with proper grades for sewer systems.