City of Whitehorse Forcemain Corrosion Assessment & Cathodic Protection Design

A structured corrosion assessment and cathodic protection design program for approximately 5.0 km of critical steel forcemain infrastructure — identifying risks, confirming system effectiveness, and developing long-term mitigation strategies for the City of Whitehorse.

CLIENT
City of Whitehorse, YT
ENTITY TYPE
Public Municipality
TIMELINE
January 2026 – Ongoing
QUICK DETAILS
Contract Type
Engineering & Assessment
Total Length
~5.0 km
Inspection
ECDA, CIS, ACVG, DCVG

Project Overview

The City of Whitehorse engaged Avodahtec team to deliver a comprehensive corrosion assessment and cathodic protection design program for its critical sanitary forcemain infrastructure.

The project involves two buried steel forcemains totalling approximately 5.0 km: Forcemain #1 (2.2 km of 560 mm welded-steel from Lift Station #1 to Marwell Lift Station) and Forcemain #2 (2.6 km of 600 mm welded-steel from Marwell Lift Station to Old Whitehorse Lagoons).

The objective is to support the City’s long-term asset integrity management, regulatory compliance, and financial planning by identifying corrosion-related risks, confirming the effectiveness of existing cathodic protection systems, and developing practical CP and repair recommendations for this critical buried pipeline infrastructure.

Project Scope Snapshot

Forcemain #1

2.2 km

560 mm welded-steel
Lift Station #1 → Marwell Lift Station

Forcemain #2

2.6 km

600 mm welded-steel
Marwell LS → Old Whitehorse Lagoons

Inspection Methods

ECDA

Close-Interval Survey, ACVG, DCVG
Soil resistivity & CP field testing

Deliverables

IFT

60%, 95% & Issued for Tender packages
Drawings, specs & cost estimates

The Challenge

Buried steel forcemains are critical assets vulnerable to external corrosion, coating deterioration, cathodic protection deficiencies, and localized high-risk conditions that are difficult to identify without specialized investigation.

TECHNICAL CHALLENGE

Assessing the condition and CP effectiveness of aging buried steel forcemains — including identifying corrosion-related deficiencies, high-priority risk locations, and developing long-term cathodic protection and repair designs.

Asset Integrity Challenge

Developing tender-ready CP design and conceptual repair plans for exposed sections — including coating, insulation, protective casing, river-level exposure, creek and culvert flow impacts, and structural protection considerations.

Our Approach

Avodahtec and Canchuks are delivering a structured corrosion assessment and cathodic protection design program:

1. Desktop Review

Reviewed available drawings, background records, previous inspection information, cathodic protection system data, and asset documentation to establish baseline conditions and identify data gaps.

2. Indirect ECDA Inspection Program

Developed and implemented indirect inspection surveys as part of the External Corrosion Direct Assessment process to identify areas of elevated corrosion risk along the buried steel forcemains.

3. Cathodic Protection System Assessment

Assessed the condition, coverage, and effectiveness of existing cathodic protection systems to determine whether the current systems are adequately mitigating corrosion risk.

4. Corrosion Risk Evaluation

Evaluated corrosion-related deficiencies, high-priority locations, and areas requiring intervention based on field data, CP system performance, pipeline condition, and asset criticality.

5. Cathodic Protection Design

Developed long-term cathodic protection system design recommendations to reduce corrosion risk, improve asset integrity, and extend the service life of the forcemain.

6. Conceptual Repair Design

Prepared conceptual repair recommendations for exposed sections, including coating, insulation, and protective casing considerations.

7. Reporting and Tender Support

Prepared technical reporting, recommendations, and tender package materials to support future implementation of the cathodic protection and repair works.

What Made This Project Successful

Integrated Corrosion & CP Expertise

The project combines corrosion assessment, CP system evaluation, and long-term design into one coordinated asset integrity program — delivered by a specialized multi-firm team.

Risk-Based Decision-Making

ECDA inspections and CP assessments identify high-priority locations and support targeted intervention, maximizing the value of the City’s capital investment.

Long-Term Asset Protection

The CP design supports corrosion mitigation, improved service life, and reduced likelihood of future failures for critical wastewater forcemain infrastructure.

Practical Repair Planning

Conceptual repair designs consider coating, insulation, and protective casing requirements for exposed sections, providing the City with actionable, implementation-ready recommendations.

Relevant Experience for Critical Buried Pipelines

The project addresses challenges common to buried critical pipeline systems, including corrosion risk, CP effectiveness, regulatory compliance, and long-term financial planning.

PROJECT DETAILS
Type
Public Municipality
Location
City of Whitehorse, Yukon
Start
January 2026
Status
Ongoing
SERVICES PROVIDED
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