# 472 Finding and Fixing the Invisible: Chris MacDonald on Pressure Pipe Inspection and Rehab

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/scaling-up-h2o-7746/472-finding-and-fixing-the-invisible-chris-macdonald-on-pressure-pipe-inspection-and-rehab
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/scaling-up-h2o-7746/472-finding-and-fixing-the-invisible-chris-macdonald-on-pressure-pipe-inspection-and-rehab.md
Podcast: [Scaling UP! H2O](https://stenobird.com/podcast/scaling-up-h2o-7746)
Published: 2026-04-17T05:34:39+00:00
Episode link: https://scalinguph2o.com/2026/04/17/472-pressure-pipe-inspection-rehab/
Audio file: https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/scalingup/Scaling_Up_H2O_-_472_-_Chris_McDonald_v2.mp3?dest-id=797464
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JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/scaling-up-h2o-7746/episodes/472-finding-and-fixing-the-invisible-chris-macdonald-on-pressure-pipe-inspection-and-rehab
Duration seconds: 3376

## Resource

"Document everything." Spring startup season exposes more than operational stress. It also reveals what happened months earlier when systems were laid up poorly, maintenance steps were skipped, or warning signs were documented but not acted on. In this episode, Trace Blackmore connects that reality to a broader infrastructure problem: hidden damage inside pressure piping systems that operators often cannot see until a leak, rupture, or budget crisis forces action. Why hidden pressure pipe problems are so expensive Chris McDonald , CEO and President of CPM Pipelines , explains why pressure pipe inspection and rehabilitation deserve more attention from utilities and industrial facilities. His core point is practical: many owners are still making repair or replacement decisions without first getting a high-resolution look at the pipe's actual condition. That creates two risks. First, teams may spend too late, after a failure creates public, operational, or safety consequences. Second, they may spend too much, replacing long stretches of pipe when only a targeted section actually needs rehabilitation. Chris argues that better inspection narrows uncertainty and helps owners avoid both extremes. Inspection first, then the right rehabilitation scope A major theme in the conversation is that CPM Pipelines works across both inspection and rehab, which changes how projects are evaluated. Chris notes that many inspection firms inspect, and many rehab firms rehabilitate, but few do both. That difference matters because the best answer is not always the biggest project. He shares an example of a recent force main inspection that showed half the line was in bad condition and half was in very bad condition, yet the data still allowed the agency to target the rehab scope precisely. Ac…

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