On January 24, 2025, the State Administration for Market Regulation and the Standardization Administration of China jointly issued the national standard GB/T 43982.11-2025, “Plastic Pipe Systems for Trenchless Rehabilitation of Underground Water Supply Networks—Part 11: Sleeve Lining Method.” This standard will take effect on August 1, 2025. This marks China's first dedicated national standard for the hose-in-hose relining method in underground water supply pipeline rehabilitation. Its introduction fills a gap in national technical specifications for this field, providing authoritative technical guidance for industry standardization and high-quality development.
Underground water supply networks serve as the “lifeline” for urban water security. With the deepening advancement of infrastructure renewal and upgrading in China's cities, the demand for repairing aging water supply networks continues to rise. Trenchless rehabilitation technology has become the mainstream method for pipeline network upgrades due to its advantages of minimal construction disturbance, high operational efficiency, and low impact on urban traffic and residents' daily lives. Among these techniques, the soft-tube insertion relining method is widely adopted in practical projects for its ease of operation, strong adaptability, and controllable repair costs. However, the absence of a unified national standard for this method previously led to inconsistent technical requirements, product quality specifications, and construction acceptance criteria across regions. This not only hindered overall industry technological advancement but also posed challenges to ensuring project quality, making the establishment of a unified national standard an urgent industry need.
The newly released GB/T 43982.11-2025 standard was proposed by the China National Light Industry Council and administered by the National Technical Committee for Standardization of Plastic Products (SAC/TC48). It synthesizes core technical expertise from leading domestic enterprises such as Guangzhou Municipal Engineering Group Co., Ltd., Sun Yat-sen University, Tianjin Energy Solution Technology CO., LTD. and other leading domestic enterprises, renowned universities, and scientific research and testing institutions. Its development spanned several years, thoroughly integrating the actual operating conditions of China's underground water supply networks and the current state of industry technology development to ensure the standard's scientific rigor, practicality, and industry applicability.
The standard covers the entire application chain of the hose-inserted liner method, establishing a comprehensive technical specification system from product manufacturing to construction acceptance. For products, the standard specifies core technical requirements for M-stage (factory manufacturing stage) hoses and fittings. It mandates a three-layer structure for hoses—lining layer, reinforcement layer, and protective layer—and defines performance metrics for mainstream materials like TPU, PE, PPTA, and PET. The use of recycled or reprocessed materials is strictly prohibited. Additionally, it imposes stringent hygiene requirements for materials in contact with drinking water to ensure compliance with safety standards for potable water distribution equipment. For fittings, the standard categorizes and standardizes the structural, material, and system applicability requirements for four types of pipe end connections: clamp, tapered, injection-molded, and welded. At the construction stage, the standard defines system requirements for Phase I (post-on-site installation), detailing operational guidelines for the entire process—including construction preparation, equipment selection, on-site installation, quality control, and in-process self-inspection. It specifies technical parameters for critical elements such as the construction environment, pulling equipment, and guiding devices. For acceptance, the standard establishes a rigorous acceptance system distinguishing between primary and general items. It sets clear requirements for pipeline leakage, hose thickness, and visual quality, while mandating that water pressure tests be conducted according to specifications after pipeline insertion to ensure construction quality and long-term operational safety of the repair project. Furthermore, the standard introduces normative appendices covering methods for predicting the thermal aging lifespan of TPU materials and testing procedures for hoses and fittings, providing unified scientific approaches for material durability testing and product quality inspection.
As a crucial component of the GB/T 43982 series standards for plastic pipe systems used in trenchless rehabilitation of underground water supply networks, this newly released specialized standard for hose-in-hose lining complements the general principles standard within the series. It further refines China's national standard system for plastic pipe systems in trenchless rehabilitation of underground water supply networks. Industry experts note that the release and implementation of GB/T 43982.11-2025 marks a significant milestone in China's trenchless rehabilitation industry for underground water supply networks. Its core value lies in unifying industry technical specifications, addressing persistent challenges such as inconsistent regional standards and uneven product quality. By achieving full-chain standardization from product manufacturing and construction to acceptance and operation, it will effectively drive the industry's transition from “extensive” development to “standardized and refined” practices. Simultaneously, the implementation of these standards will provide clear technical guidance for water supply pipeline renewal projects nationwide. This will enhance the quality and efficiency of urban pipeline rehabilitation, strengthen the resilience of water supply networks, and improve water supply security. It holds significant practical and long-term value for advancing urban infrastructure renewal, safeguarding urban water supply security, and promoting high-quality development within the trenchless rehabilitation industry.