Plastic Pipe is Key to Water Infrastructure

1
DECEMBER 20, 2016
PLASTIC PIPE IS KEY TO WATER INFRASTRUCTURE
By Richard Doyle
As our next administration and Congress grapple
the Ductile Iron Pipe Research Association
(DIPRA) has
with the challenge of improving our nations
launched a campaign to malign the PVC pipe
industry.
deteriorating water infrastructure, they should
keep
one fact in mind. Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) pipe is
Complicating DIPRAs message, though, are
the safest and most durable and affordable
material
numerous news accounts of corroded iron water
available today to replace our aging underground
mains rupturing around the country, impacting
systems and serve the interests of U.S. taxpayers.
first responders and disrupting peoples lives.
Meanwhile, the groups president, Jon Runge,
PVC pipe costs less, and lasts longer, than iron
pipe.
continues to mislead the public by promoting a
DIPRA-
The foremost experts on pipe durability have
confirmed
backed study that contains incorrect information.
it. City officials in Pleasanton, California, have
validated it, noting that ductile iron pipe is 70
percent
DIPRA is also engaging in a behind-the-scenes
effort
more expensive than PVC pipe. PVC pipe failures
are
to protect iron pipes monopoly at the expense of
U.S.
extremely rare and Burton, Michigan, is saving
taxpayers, spending countless resources to
pressure
over 2 million by replacing dilapidated iron
pipe with
states to block PVC pipe from being considered as
efficient, high-performance PVC. It is lead-free
and has
a possible material option. If successful, iron
pipe
been certified by the National Sanitation
Foundation
manufacturers would be an exclusive material
International for safe water delivery (the same
standards
provider, allowing them to control the market and
the Environmental Protection Agency adopted for
its
charge city officials whatever they wish. And, as
own drinking water advisory programs back in
1990).
everyone knows, when competition shrinks,
taxpayers
Iron pipe, by contrast, is prone to
corrosion, and the lose resulting in higher
prices for everyone.
resulting bacteria buildup can affect the quality
of
The ductile iron industry defends these
monopolistic
drinking water. As iron pipe corrodes, its useful
life is
actions by telling the American people,
effectively, Dont
reducedandcanleadtoprematurefailuresandcostlyleaks
worry, we know whats best for you and then
attacking
and repairs. The iron pipe industry now makes
available
PVC pipe. But industry officials are conspicuously
ductile iron pipe, which corrodes even more
quickly
tongue-tied when it comes to defending the
corrosive-
than traditional iron pipe, due to the materials
thinner
nature of ductile iron pipe and remain silent
about
walls, leading to increased breakage and loss of
water.
PVC pipes economic advantages over ductile iron.
Cast iron pipes may have served our infrastructure
Policymakers should keep in mind that business
needs in the past. But today, after reaping the
benefits
monopolies never have the taxpayers best
of an uncontested monopoly for nearly a century,
the
interests at heart. When it comes to repairing
iron pipe industry finds itself in a fight for
its survival,
our nations infrastructure, the public deserves
to
as PVC pipe has quickly become the go-to material
to
have PVC pipe represented at the decision table.
replace iron pipe in cities across the nation. In
response, Richard Doyle is the President and CEO
of The Vinyl Institute.