To read the full article, click the link below:
http://www.plasticsnews.com/article/20140515/NEWS/140519940/study-100-year-life-for-pvc-pipe-conservative

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Fixing America’s Water Infrastructure

“As local, state and federal governments continue to make significant investments in improving our water infrastructure, it is important that agencies purchase the most effective and economical products. Some state and local agencies have outdated regulations that limit the types of products that can be procured, even if those products are not the best suited for a project. It is disconcerting that federal funds are used in some instances to buy these inferior and more costly products.

Alternative materials like plastic pipe can offer project savings in materials costs, labor and maintenance. Several U.S. cities have utilized this alternative material to ensure savings; up to 70 percent in the case of one California city. As our nation’s water infrastructure is rebuilt, new technologies and better materials should be considered.”

Joe Sheehy, Legislative Director
Congresswoman Grace Napolitano

WANT MORE INFORMATION?  TO SET UP A MEETING WITH MEMBERS OF THE BRIEFING, PLEASE EMAIL US AT PARTNERSHIP@JMEAGLE.COM

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Printed in the March 2011 issue of U.S. Mayor, an article written by Pleasanton, Calif., Mayor Jennifer Hosterman explains the many ways in which her city has benefited by switching from ductile iron pipe to PVC. U.S. Mayor is the official publication of the U.S. Conference of Mayors.

“The results have been very impressive,” Mayor Hosterman writes in the article, titled, “Pleasanton’s underground infrastructure: Sustainability, cost-efficiency through better material procurement practices.” “Cost savings are confirmed by city staff.”

Pleasanton was named by Money magazine as one of the best places to live in America. According to the article in U.S. Mayor, it grew rapidly in the 1960s and ’70s, with asbestos cement meeting increased infrastructure demand, followed by ductile iron. However, the city soon learned that high alkaline in the soil and other factors accelerated corrosion induced failure of the buried metal infrastructure.

Measures to protect the iron pipe, including applying epoxy coatings, polyethylene sleeves and anodes connected to the pipe, “greatly increased initial material and replacement costs.”

The better solution, the article goes on to say, was to use PVC pipe. The city construction manager reported that PVC was about 70 percent less expensive than ductile iron, and carried lower installation costs. In addition, PVC pipe failures have been extremely rare, helping the city hold the line on operation and maintenance costs.

“Pleasanton’s demonstrated progress and outside recognition have come from being adaptive, flexible and open to better technologies such as PVC pipe and other infrastructure materials and ways of doing city business,” the article reads. “This is all part of good government and smart government.”

Read the Original Article from U.S. Mayor:

http://www.usmayors.org/bestpractices/usmayor11/pg16_hosterman_BP.asp

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Trenchless Installations

Horizontal directional drilling- is a trenchless method of installing underground pipes, by using a surface drill that horizontally inserts the pipe into place. This process poses minimal impact to the surrounding area. This installation method is most commonly used in jobs including road, landscape and river crossings. This installation is most suitable for PVC and polyethylene pipe. 

Restrained Road Bores- Road boring is a process that utilizes Horizontal Directional Drilling when installing pipe under a highway or road. 

Pipe bursting- Pipe bursting is a trenchless method used to replace existing pipelines in the same alignment without physically removing the existing pipeline.  Bursting by using the exiting alignment to replace a pipe avoids the need to secure additional right-of-way to install the replacement pipe. Bursting can be used to upsize the pipeline increasing its flow capacity.
Pipe bursting was initially developed in the 1980s to replace small diameter cast iron gas distribution lines, but has since grown in acceptance as an effective method for replacing pipelines diverse in size, material type, and function including water, sewer, or gas pipelines.
Pipe bursting is used to replace brittle pipes such as clay, concrete and cast iron through the application of a static or pneumatic bursting head to fragment the existing pipe. Simultaneously, a new product pipe attached to the back of the bursting head is installed in the same alignment as the original pipe.  

Slip lining- Slip lining involves the insertion of a new pipe into an existing pipe. Under the right conditions, slip lining is also the simplest trenchless technique. A new pipe with an outside dimension smaller than the inside dimension of the host pipe is either pulled or pushed into the host pipe.

Polyurethane (HDPE and PE) and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) pipes are most commonly used for continuous slip lining circular, non-man entry pipes. The new pipe is laid out above ground and pulled through an excavated pit into the host pipe. The new pipe is then winched through the host pipe to an exit pit or manhole. In situations where space for layout of the pipe above ground is limited, HDPE pipe can be butt-fused during the installation process. 

Well Casing - Casing provides support for the wall of the well so that loose rock fragments or unconsolidated sand and gravel through which the well has penetrated do not collapse into the well shaft.  The casing protects the electrical wires, pull cable and water tubing/piping that are connected to the submersible pump.  It also provides a vertical-cylindrical surface that in conjunction with the outer vertical wall of the drilled hole can facilitate the placement of an impermeable grout seal around the well casing.  The grout seal in the annular space outside of the casing prevents surface water and potential contaminants (bacteria, fertilizers, pesticides etc.) from descending along the outside wall of the well down to the zones of stored groundwater. 

With improvements in strength, durability and corrosion resistance of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) plastics over the last two decades, PVC casing has become very common as a casing material for drinking water wells.  

Aerial crossings

An aerial crossing is a location where a pipeline is suspended to cross a waterway or other obstacle, either by cables over the waterway or attached to the girders of a bridge designed to normally carry vehicle traffic.

Trench Installations

A trench is a long narrow ditch dug into the ground and embanked with its own soil and used for concealment and protection of line pipe. Trenches are usually dug by a backhoe or by a specialized digging machine.

Direct Burial – Installing a utility facility underground without encasement.

Related Sources:

http://www.trenchless.tv/library/bursting.pdf

http://www.istt.com/guidelines/horizontal-directional-drilling-hdd

http://www.istt.com/guidelines/slip-lining

http://www.agwt.org/info/pdfs/wellcasing.pdf

Learn more about PVC pipe and its application in trenchless installations

http://www.uni-bell.org/resources/uni-pub-11%20-%20Trenchless%20Installation.pdf

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Plastic pipe exceeds iron pipe in durability, longevity and performance. Independent studies by the American Water Works Association Research Foundation and the Plastics Pipe Institute show PVC and PE , respectively last longer than 100 years.

Not so with iron pipe. The National Research Council of Canada reports the following break rates per 100km of water distribution pipe.

Further, a study by the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power determined corroded cast-iron pipe was overwhelmingly to blame for a rash of breaks in 2009.

So when it comes to the benefits of plastic pipe over iron pipe, there’s no comparison.

Benefits of Plastic Pipe

• It is the safe, long-lasting and stable solution for a modern infrastructure.
• Millions of miles of plastic pipe have been installed.
• It outlasts any other material.
• Strict industry standards confirm its strength, durability and longevity.
• Plastic doesn’t corrode or collect sediment like iron pipe, and it keeps the water flowing without bursts, flooding or disruptions.

The post Plastic Pipe is Superior to Iron For Modern Infrastructure appeared first on The Truth About Pipe Materials.

Kyle Haas
University of California, Davis

Read the Paper (PDF)

Excerpts from, Lifecycle Cost and Performance of Plastic Pipelines in Modern Water Infrastructure

Ease and Cost of Installation
Horizontal directional drilling (HDD) method offers significant costs savings. Plastic pipe makes up 66.8% of all pipe materials used for HDD. Plastic pipe is lightweight and flexible, providing a greater ease of installation.

Seismic Reliability
Flexible pipe materials, like HDPE and PVC have lower rates of failure during earthquakes. Flexible materials are able to redistribute pressures. The structural reliability allows plastic pipe to outperform other materials in a seismic event.

Internal Corrosion Resistance
Plastic pipe is virtually immune from internal corrosion. Plastic material is often used to protect against corrosion and improve water quality. Plastic liners are commonly used when installing metallic pipes to prevent internal corrosion.

The post Lifecycle Cost and Performance of Plastic Pipelines in Modern Water Infrastructure appeared first on The Truth About Pipe Materials.

Daniel Hardin
Tennessee Technological University

Read the Paper (PDF)

Excerpts from, The Advantages of Plastic Pipe in a Modern Infrastructure

Significant Savings
The difference in cost between plastic and steel is staggering. The amount of money that would be saved, considering installation alone, would amount to $2.8 million per mile.

Green Manufacturing
The manufacturing process for PVC pipe is extremely efficient; nearly the entire compound to make PVC pipe is used. Making PVC pipe takes only a fourth of the energy necessary to make concrete pipe and only half of the energy needed to make iron pipe.

Best Material for the Future
The obvious truth is clear, plastics are a superior choice over traditionally used materials and should be used in the future of the world’s water infrastructure and wastewater systems.

The post The Advantages of Plastic Pipe in a Modern Infrastructure appeared first on The Truth About Pipe Materials.

Megan Williamson
Colorado School of Mines

Read the Paper (PDF)

Excerpts from, A Glance at Plastic Pipe from All Angles

Vast Range of Applications and Products
Plastic pipe can be used in virtually every sector of infrastructure; fire lines, gas lines, sanitary and storm sewers, irrigation, electrical conduits and indoor plumbing are the most prevalent sectors. Plastic piping offers a vast range of products; joints, fittings, valves, ducts, pumps and tanks.

Low Environmental Impact
At the end of their life PVC and HDPE pipes can be collected, recycled and used into other products.

Superior Durability
Plastic pipes unique chemical composition paired with a laminar molecular structure gives it the capacity of resisting structural failure far better than other materials

The post A Glance at Plastic Pipe from All Angles appeared first on The Truth About Pipe Materials.

Tyler W. Pierce
University of Central Florida

Read the Paper (PDF)

Excerpts from, A Progressive Solution to Materials Used for Water Infrastructure

Plastic Pipe is Environmentally Friendly
Water is vital to life and its conservation is important to many people. A highly efficient water distribution system is a necessity. Depending on the joining technique implemented, leakage rates can be essentially zero with the use of plastic pipes.

Plastic Provides Longevity
Plastic pipe has a long life expectancy in the face of harsh soil conditions and other environmental factors. Plastic, due to its noncorrosive properties, is considered by both American and European sources to have a life expectancy of more than 110 years

Plastic is the Future of Water Infrastructure
Pipes are projected to be the single largest expense in the rehabilitation of America’s water infrastructure. It is pivotal to invest in the best suited product for the job. Plastic pipe is the solution for new and rehabilitation water infrastructure projects.

The post A Progressive Solution to Materials Used for Water Infrastructure appeared first on The Truth About Pipe Materials.

Lauren Louise Hart
University of Florida

Read the Paper (PDF)

Excerpts from, How Plastic Pipes Flow Economically, Socially, and Environmentally into a Modern Infrastructure

Three tiers of sustainability:

Environment
PVC is one of the most sustainable products in the world. PVC has a much smaller carbon footprint than other materials; it takes fewer pounds of material to produce and its thermoplastic material makes it completely recyclable and reusable.

Economics
Industries are built around access to clean water, $400 billion dollars in revenue are generated annually from water based recreation, coastal tourism and commercial fishing. PVC pipes currently in place offer an estimated savings of $270 million dollars a year.

Social
Adequate water systems are the first line of defense against water-borne diseases, preventing sickness and reducing healthcare costs.

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