Below-Ground Plumbing Expertise, Above-and-Beyond Service and Safety

Beneath the bustling laboratories of a medical research lab in North Texas, a remarkable story is unfolding. Armed with shovels, wheelbarrows and decades of expertise, TDIndustries' Dallas Plumbing Service team is tackling a challenging underground tunneling project to replace an aging sanitary sewer system without disrupting the critical work happening above.

Aging Pipes, Modern Solutions

The facility has been grappling with persistent plumbing issues due to an aging infrastructure and strain from previous building modifications on the original plumbing system. Breaks in the lines, bellies (sags that trap waste) and improper drainage slopes cause frequent sewer backups, slow draining fixtures and occasional odors from escaped sewer gas.

"With older mechanical systems and the ground movement we experience in this area, problems are inevitable," explains Justin Hamous, Service Manager at TDIndustries. "But in a facility with sensitive laboratory environments and clean rooms, traditional repair methods would cause massive disruption."

The conventional approach would have required cutting through concrete floors, relocating staff and equipment, and potentially compromising sterile environments. Instead, TDIndustries proposed something different – going underneath rather than through.

The Art of Underground Tunneling

TDIndustries is creating 5-foot by 5-foot tunnels beneath the nearly 50-year-old facility entirely by hand. Each day, the team progresses at an impressive rate of about 20 feet. Crew members carefully excavate the soil using only shovels and wheelbarrows while installing bracing and shoring using 4x4 timbers with ¾-inch plywood. The tunnels are constructed with three wooden sides and the concrete slab above, creating a stable pathway for the work to proceed.

The project involves two tunnels – one approximately 300 feet long and another 400 feet long – running beneath different wings of the building. The team is following the existing sanitary line and preparing to replace the entire system with a new PVC piping to eliminate all the bellies, breaks and drainage issues.

"We're not just digging a hole," Hamous emphasizes. "We're creating a safe, stable environment to work in. When it's all said and done, they'll have a completely new system."

It's painstaking work that requires not just physical strength but precision and patience. This complex technical work showcases the specialized skills and experience of TDIndustries' Dallas Plumbing Service team.

Safety: The Invisible Foundation

What truly sets this project apart is TD’s extraordinary commitment to safety. Jace Braden, Senior Health and Safety Manager, has implemented a comprehensive confined space safety protocol that goes well beyond standard requirements.

“Underground tunneling has inherent risks – cave-ins, air quality issues, limited escape routes,” Braden explains. “Our approach to safety is as methodical as our approach to the technical work.”

The team’s safety system is built on multiple layers of protection. Before anyone enters the tunnel, a competent person conducts atmospheric testing to ensure oxygen levels are safe and no hazardous gases are present. Each worker wears a personal air monitor that continuously checks for dangerous gas levels. A designated attendant maintains a strict check-in/check-out system, tracking everyone entering and exiting the confined space.

“Our safety protocols are so rigorous that if a supervisor needs to take a break, everyone exits the tunnel – no exceptions,” says Braden. “It might seem extreme, but when you’re working underground, there’s no room for compromise.”

The team conducts daily safety briefings before work begins, reviewing potential hazards and emergency procedures. Communication is maintained through voice and hand-held radios, with an air horn system for emergency evacuation notifications.

“In a confined space like this, communication is critical,” Braden notes. “Everyone needs to know exactly what’s happening at all times.”

From Plumbing to Public Safety: A Unique Collaboration

While reviewing emergency response plans, Braden saw an opportunity to do even more. “I realized this project could offer a unique training opportunity for our local first responders,” he says.

In an unprecedented move, Braden reached out to the Irving Fire Department, inviting them to use the completed tunnel for rescue training before backfilling begins. The fire department’s response was enthusiastic. Some firefighters mentioned they haven't been able to train in such a realistic confined space scenario since they were at the Fire Academy.



“[A tunnel rescue] scenario is just one of those low frequency, high stress events,” says Joshua Kneisel, Irving Fire Department Station 6 Technical Rescue team. “When these calls come in you don’t get to do them all the time so you have to rely on training.”

This collaboration allows them to practice rescue operations in a controlled environment.

“It was a great opportunity for us to collaborate and meet with you guys and look at what your potential needs are,” says Captain Joe Kowal, Irving Fire Department Station 6. “It was super to have your guy waving us down saying, ‘Here’s our problem, this is what we’ve got going on,’ and make it as real-life of a scenario as possible.”

Innovative Solutions to Complex Plumbing Challenges

This project is another example of TDIndustries’ technical expertise and Commitment to Zero Harm – as well as providing a forward-thinking approach that solves customers’ challenges while protecting crews, occupants and the community at large.

If your facility is facing plumbing and mechanical issues that seem impossible to solve, reach out to TDIndustries today. Discover how our experience, knowledge and resources keep your operations running smoothly.