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 [...]
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Lifecycle Plastic Pipeline Performance (PDF)
How Plastic Pipes Flow in a Modern Infrastructure (PDF)
A Progressive Solution For Water Infrastructure (PDF)
A Glance At Plastic Pipe From All Angles [...]
Kyle Haas
University of California, Davis
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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 [...]
Daniel Hardin
Tennessee Technological University
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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 [...]
Megan Williamson
Colorado School of Mines
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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 [...]
Tyler W. Pierce
University of Central Florida
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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 [...]
Lauren Louise Hart
University of Florida
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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 [...]
A new study from Utah State University’s Buried Structures Laboratory, led by Steven Folkman, author of “PVC Pipe Longevity Report: Affordability & the 100+ Year Benchmark Standard” says PVC pipe material can be expected to provide reliable service for at least 100 years. Experiments on [...]
“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.”
The statistical information in the graphic below is taken from the study Reforming Our Nation’s Approach to the Infrastructure Crisis: How Competition, Oversight, and Innovation Can Lower Water and Sewer Rates in the U.S issued by the National Taxpayers Union in April of [...]
Mayors across the country are getting the word from one of their own that PVC is saving her city money and providing a more reliable water infrastructure for its residents.
Printed in the March 2011 issue of U.S. Mayor, an article written by Pleasanton, Calif., Mayor [...]
Water main breaks are an everyday occurrence in North America, with over 800 breaks reported daily. One of the major contributors to this problem is pipe material. The National Research Council of Canada conducted a study on pipe break rates and generated findings that point [...]
Plastic pipe offers a wide range of benefits, one of the most appreciated benefits is its low cost. In a comparison study with ductile iron, costs for materials, labor and equipment, and backfill of a small job were evaluated. Plastic pipe came out on top [...]
Plastic pipe’s foremost benefit for any project is its longevity. In 2009 research institutions Jana Laboratories, American Water Works Research Foundation, and Australia’s national science agency, analyzed, tested, and studied PE and PVC pipe manufactured in North America. The results concluded that PE and PVC [...]
