Drinking water network · Acceptance
Documented pressure testing for drinking water mains in Vienna, Lower Austria and Burgenland
A newly laid drinking water main is not accepted because it looks finished, but because it holds pressure. CFT carries out the pressure test with water to ÖNORM EN 805 and ÖNORM B 2538 and records the results against this test basis, for pipe systems in ductile iron (GGG), fibre cement (asbestos cement, AC, in older stock), PVC and HDPE. The test report is the document with which the section goes into service. Testing is carried out in Vienna, Lower Austria and Burgenland – a short journey means appointments at short notice. Report the section on +43 (0) 2252 53169 or in writing to office@cft.at, and we will settle the test basis, the isolation points and the appointment.
What we do on site
We settle the test section with the site management and the network operator; it has to be completely laid, backfilled and closed off pressure-tight at the ends. We fill, vent, bring up the test pressure and record the pressure trace; what is assessed is the trace, not a momentary value. You receive a test report as a PDF; nothing is repaired by us.
Key facts at a glance
| Methods | Pressure test with water to ÖNORM EN 805 and ÖNORM B 2538, recorded against this test basis, assessment of pipeline integrity |
|---|---|
| Application range | Newly laid and rehabilitated drinking water mains in ductile iron (GGG), fibre cement (asbestos cement, AC, in older stock), PVC and HDPE |
| Duration | As specified by the standard, section by section. |
| Result format | Test report as a PDF to ÖNORM EN 805 and ÖNORM B 2538, pressure trace record, assessment for each section |
| Service area | Vienna, Lower Austria and Burgenland |
For water suppliers
You take over a section from the construction company and are liable for its tightness from that moment on. What you need for that is not a verbal result on site, but a report with test pressure, pressure trace, test duration and assessment. Testing by a third party has a practical advantage here: the tester has no interest in the outcome – if the section fails, that is what the report says.
For you as a business
For construction companies and pipeline contractors, documented pressure testing is the service that makes a section ready for acceptance; in tenders it can be described as a separate tender item by test sections and nominal diameters. On industrial sites the same applies to fire mains and process water mains before commissioning.
How the job runs
1. Define the test section. Together with the site management and network operations it is determined which section is tested, where it is isolated with valves and where it is filled. The section must be fully laid, backfilled and closed off pressure-tight at its ends.
2. Fill and vent. The section is filled with water and carefully vented. Air left in the pipe is the most common reason for an unusable test result.
3. Test and record. The test pressure is applied and the pressure trace is recorded over the test duration; what is assessed is the trace, not a single instantaneous value.
4. Record and hand over. The result is recorded against ÖNORM EN 805 and ÖNORM B 2538. If the result is negative, the fault is put right and the section is tested again; the report documents both runs.
Equipment and methods
Pressure test with water to ÖNORM EN 805
Testing is done with water, not with air: the section is filled, vented, brought up to test pressure and the pressure trace is observed. Water is barely compressible, which is why even a small leak shows up as a pressure drop – the method does tell you, though, whether the section is tight, not where it is not.
Testing to ÖNORM B 2538
The Austrian standard supplements the European specification for drinking water mains; it is what the client and the executing company refer to at acceptance. A test report without a named test basis is worth little in a dispute.
Recording against the named test basis
The test basis, ÖNORM EN 805 together with ÖNORM B 2538, is named in the report header with its edition; this gives the document a fixed form: section tested, material, test pressure, trace, assessment. It replaces neither the as-built records nor the hygienic release.
Assessment of pipeline integrity
From the recorded trace it is assessed whether the section meets the requirement. Traces that point to remaining air, temperature effects or an isolation point that moves are equally conspicuous; in that case the cause is named and the test is repeated, instead of releasing a borderline result.
What you receive
You receive a test report as a PDF: the section tested, the material, the test pressure, the recorded pressure trace, the site conditions and the assessment, with the applied test bases and their editions in the report header. Where tests are repeated, all runs are included. We put nothing right ourselves: CFT tests, assesses and records.
Costs and effort
The effort depends on the length and nominal diameter of the test section, the material, the number of sections and whether water is available on site. We agree the cost range with you by telephone before the job. Repeat tests after remedial work are agreed separately.
Frequently asked questions
Why is the test done with water and not with air?
What counts for acceptance is the test with water to ÖNORM EN 805 and ÖNORM B 2538, because water is barely compressible and even small leaks become visible as a pressure drop. An air test can make sense as a preliminary check, but it does not replace the acceptance evidence.
Which pipe materials can be tested?
Pipe systems in ductile iron (GGG), that is cast iron with spheroidal graphite, as well as fibre cement (asbestos cement, AC, in older stock), PVC and HDPE. The material is stated in the report because it affects how the section behaves under pressure. On existing asbestos cement mains, nothing is cut, drilled or ground on the pipe itself: the connection is made at existing fittings.
What happens if the test is not passed?
The section is recorded as not passed, with the measured pressure trace. The remedial work is carried out by the executing company, after which the section is tested again.
Is the pressure test enough for commissioning?
It proves tightness, not hygienic suitability. Newly laid or rehabilitated mains are additionally flushed and disinfected; both pieces of evidence belong in the acceptance documentation.
Contact and opening hours
For test sections in Vienna, Lower Austria and Burgenland: CFT Group GmbH, Wiener Straße 99, A-2514 Traiskirchen, +43 (0) 2252 53169, Monday to Thursday 8:00–16:30, Friday 8:00–12:00. Outside office hours in writing to office@cft.at; we will come back to you on the next working day.
Related services
Mains disinfection
The hygienic evidence that follows once the pressure test has been passed.
Burst location and leak detection in the network
Locates the point when a section fails the test.
Valve exercising and maintenance
Makes sure the isolation valves of the test section close tight in the first place.
Describe the findings.
The more precisely you describe the findings, the more directly we can go to work. Plans, readings and photos help us settle the method in advance.
What happens next
- We read your message and match the case to a method.
- We come back to you – usually with a question that shortens the appointment.
- We confirm the appointment and what it costs before anyone sets off.
Rather talk?
+43 (0) 2252 53169
Mon–Thu 8:00–16:30 · Fri 8:00–12:00
Describe your case.
Fastest by telephone – then we settle straight away which method fits and what you should prepare.
Outside office hours, write to office@cft.at.