Client Challenge
Prism Engineering was retained by RDH Building Science for domestic water pipe condition assessment at Marina Estates. The property is in Squamish, B.C., and consists of three low-rise residential buildings with a common underground parking level, originally constructed in 1998. As the piping system approached 30 years of service life, the strata sought to better understand its condition amid growing concerns of the aging infrastructure and the associated risk of failure.
The strata required an engineering‑based assessment to:
- Determine whether the domestic piping systems were nearing end of service life
- Identify localized high‑risk sections versus systemic deterioration
- Support informed capital planning while avoiding unnecessary wholesale replacement
Project Goal
The goal of the project was to evaluate the condition and risk profile of the domestic water piping systems and provide clear, defensible recommendations for monitoring, repair, or future renewal based on measured pipe condition rather than age‑based assumptions.
The Engineering Solution
Prism conducted a risk‑based, non‑destructive piping assessment across the three residential buildings. The scope included:
- Targeted ultrasonic wall‑thickness testing of domestic cold water and domestic hot water piping
- Review of available documentation and maintenance history
- Comparison of measured results against applicable ASTM and National Plumbing Code standards
- Engineering interpretation of results to classify pipe condition and failure risk
The assessment approach focused on identifying localized end‑of‑life conditions while confirming overall system integrity, allowing the strata to prioritize corrective action where it was genuinely required.
Impact & Outcomes
- Fifteen pipe sections assessed across three buildings
- One localized DCW pipe section identified with >15% wall thickness loss and classified as end‑of‑life
- All remaining tested piping remained within acceptable ASTM tolerances
- Severely corroded pipe supports were identified supporting the 6” (150mm) water main assembly, which was flagged as an immediate risk of catastrophic failure.
- Wholesale piping replacement avoided
- Clear recommendation to monitor system condition and re‑assess in five years
The Prism Differentiator
Prism’s ability to combine non‑destructive testing, standards‑based analysis, and practical engineering judgement allowed the client to distinguish between isolated risk and overall system health. This approach delivered targeted, actionable recommendations while preventing unnecessary capital expenditure.