There are those in the polyvinyl chloride (PVC) pipe industry who are engaged in efforts to persuade legislators, water authorities, and the general public that PVC pipe is the solution for replacing aging water systems. While advocacy for their product is understandable, their claims are cause for concern.
PVC pipe is a plastic product. It is cheap, weak and produced with components that are toxic to human health and the environment. To replace our critical water infrastructure with a pipeline material that is documented to be hazardous in its production and disposal, and questionable in its reliability and safety, is both a disservice and a danger to the public. Our communities do not need a cheap replacement for essential water infrastructure. They need pipelines that can be trusted to deliver water for everything from drinking to bathing the baby, to cooking, to fire protection and more – for today and generations to come.
The pipelines that have reliably delivered water to communities for more than a century are primarily iron pipes. Iron comes from the earth and not from the synthetic compounds used to make plastic pipe.
Over the years, innovations in iron pipe metallurgy, manufacturing and engineering have further increased their dependability and safety – and in even the most challenging environments.
From the cast iron pipes of old to today’s modern successor, Ductile Iron Pipe, the evidence for durability and cost-effectiveness is clearly stated in research conducted by respected water associations and university researchers. According to an American Water Works Association (AWWA)analysis of performance data, modern Ductile Iron Pipe is the longest lasting pipe material on the market today with an average expected service life in excess of 100 years.
In contrast, a study by Utah State University’s Dr. Steven Folkman found that of the PVC pipe failures surveyed, 46.4 percent of the reported breaks occurred in PVC pipe that had been in service for 21-40 years. Moreover, 51.5% of the reported breaks occurred in PVC pipe that had been in service for 20 years or less. Considering the costs of repair, plus the disruption to homes and businesses that have to go without water during the repair and replacement operation, it is easy to see how operational, maintenance and replacement costs can begin to escalate.
Further research also supports these conclusions. In a peer-reviewed study released by the University of Michigan this summer, the researchers developed a life-cycle cost analysis model that compared Ductile Iron Pipe and PVC to see which would likely be a better choice over the life expectancy of a particular water infrastructure project. The conclusions showed Ductile Iron Pipe to have the longer expected service life, energy savings in operations and a lower impact on the environment, all of which demonstrated greater cost-effectiveness over the desired design life. The study gives decision-makers a way to balance immediate fiscal needs against long-term operational costs in their efforts to address ongoing public health and reliability issues related to water infrastructure.
As the debate over aging infrastructure continues to grow leading up to the elections, there will be a tendency to reduce complex decisions to easy to understand “cable news shorthand.” What’s important to remember, however, is that the decisions made today have consequences for years to come.
The Ductile Iron Pipe Research Association (DIPRA) supports the efforts to provide scientific studies and peer-reviewed research to decision-makers, such as done through the University of Michigan. We are committed to help provide the necessary information from which good decisions can be made, and progress can take place, to replace critical water infrastructure in North America.
Jon R. Runge, CAE is the president of the Ductile Iron Pipe Research Association. He has more than 30 years of experience in association management, marketing, and sales for numerous corporations and nonprofit organizations. He has held senior-level marketing positions at MillerCoors and American Water Works Association. Thinking of submitting an op-ed to the Washington Examiner? Be sure to read our guidelines on submissions.
