A 2003 report published by the American Water Works Association Journal stated that some 2.2 trillion gallons of water are lost annually in the United States alone, primarily as a result of premature pipe corrosion leaks and breaks. This amount of lost water would satisfy the drinking water needs of every man, woman and child on earth for a year. The annual lost revenue to water utilities is estimated to total $2.98 billion.
The aging and deteriorating U.S. water infrastructure consists mostly of cast iron and ductile iron pipe. Highly susceptible to corrosion, these systems account for hundreds of water main breaks a day throughout North America. A solution to this problem is PVC pipe.
The largest amount of vinyl resin produced in the United States goes into PVC pipe. Being immune to corrosion and its overall durability has made PVC pipe a popular choice for clean water distribution systems, and sanitary collection of waste water. PVC pipe accounts for more than 70 percent of new buried water distribution pipes being installed in the United States and Canada. More than 75 percent of newly installed sanitary sewer systems feature PVC pipe.
Municipalities also are finding that PVC can be a benefit in pipe rehabilitation. A new ANSI/NSF 61-certified PVC water line renewal system is making the traditional dig-and-replace method obsolete. PVC liners can be inserted through existing lines, with minimal excavation, then pumped through with hot water to make the liners expand and mold to the old lines’ interiors.
But perhaps even more important, water utility 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 systems currently face every 20 to 30 years will be a thing of the past.