PVC Pipes in Water Infrastructure from Think Pipes Think PVC

A leading reason for PVC's dramatic market growth Is Its superior durability. In a 1994 survey sponsored by the American Water Works Association research Foundation, 162 responding utilities gave PVC pipe a life expectancy rating of 4.1 on a scale of 1 to 5, which was unsurpassed by any other pipe material.*

A two-year study conducted by the National Research Council of Canada found that, for each 100 kilometres of water distribution pipe laid, PVC had only 0.7 breaks per year compared with 35.9 breaks for cast iron and 9.5 breaks for ductile iron.*

Industries and utilities around the world are choosing PVC pipes. PVC pipes are less prone to breaks and other failures, therefore the cost to repair and maintain a the pipe system is far less than with other materials.

PVC pipes save water and sewer utilities substantial amounts by reducing water loss and ingress into sewer systems. Gasket joints provided with PVC pipes are manufactured and tested to perform without any leakage. The zero-leakage PVC joints enable sewer utilities to dramatically reduce wet weather inflows and avoid unnecessary treatment costs. Similarly, water utilities have reported much lower unaccounted for water losses where systems are comprised of PVC pipes.

PVC far surpasses any other material used in piping applications. Its dominance is evident in the water distribution and sanitary sewer pipe markets where it has a large percentage of market share.

One of the most dramatic illustrations of the advantages PVC pipes has over other materials was demonstrated in 1994 during the catastrophic 6.7 magnitude Northridge earthquake in California. The Valencia Water Company's system was dewatered in 30 minutes, and main line and service line breaks were in the hundreds.

Yet none of the main lines made of PVC pipe - about half of the total 270 mile system - failed. although the earthquake was generally felt to have had some of the strongest ground motions ever recorded by instruments in a major North American urban area.*

But perhaps even more important, managers who have chosen PVC are leaving a legacy of good stewardship for future generations. By increasing the useful life of new infrastructure, a utility will eventually relieve future managers, water system ratepayers and even the federal government from the burden of constant system repair and replacement.

By selecting a product with a predicted life exceeding 200 years*, the replacement crisis authorities currently face every 20 to 30 years will be a thing of the past. PVC far surpasses any other material used in piping applications.

* Moser. A P. and Kellogg, K, "Evaluation of Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) Pipe Performance," AWWA Research Foundation, 1994.
* Rajeni, B. and McDonald, S., Water Main Bteek Data for Different Pipe Materials for 1992 and 1993," N8!1an81 R9898TCh Council Csnscf8, August 1995.
* Fisher, C., "Northridge Earthquake Puts PVC's Seismic Capabilities to the Test," PVC News, Vol. 25, Number 1, 2002.
* AWWA Manual M23, "PVC Pipe - Design fJ/Id Installation," American W8ter Worlds Association, Denver; Colorado, pp 53-59, 2002.