In 2021, President Biden signed into law the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which included the Build America, Buy America Act (BABA); however, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) only recently (August 2023) published final guidance implementing BABA, which went into effect October 23, 2023, and can be found on the Federal Register website here. In this #IronStrong Blog, we will navigate through BABA and discuss how it applies to Ductile iron products made in the USA.
November 8 is National STEM/STEAM Day, highlighting the importance of Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics in children’s education. The manufacturing of Ductile iron pipe (DI pipe) and constructing pipelines for water and wastewater infrastructure are complex processes that rely heavily on STEM principles. In this #IronStrong Blog, we will explore the intricate connections between these fields and their significance in ensuring safe and efficient water and wastewater management now and in the future.
Did you know October 14 is World Standards Day? So, why does that matter, you ask? Establishing international standards, including consumer safety, environmental protection, technological advancement, and economic growth, is vital to our lives. In this #IronStrong Blog, and with the help of two of my colleagues, Hal Eddings, McWane Ductile - New Jersey Technical Director, and Jeremy Stewart, McWane Ductile - Utah Quality Assurance Manager, we’ll discuss why standardization is critical when manufacturing Ductile iron (DI) products and what it means for consumers.
Have you ever been asked what lining or coating your Ductile iron pipe material needs to have? Does all pipe in a water or sewer application system need some protective measure to keep the service life of the pipe constant? Ductile iron has been a reliable material for transporting water and wastewater nationwide for many years. Many variations of linings and coating have developed over time, but ceramic-enhanced epoxy and/or (porcelain enamel) glass linings have become the typically specified options. The remainder of this #IronStrong Blog compares these two protective lining options.
Oxidation and rust are related, yet they are not equal nor interchangeable as words or concepts. Both are a form of corrosion, although varying by many degrees and measures. Quite simply, and although early in this article, here's the bottom line – oxidation results in and typically stalls at "surface discoloration," a largely cosmetic effect often referred to as patina. Rust results in a loss of metal mass. Keep reading this Iron Strong Blog for more details of the difference.
Are you the owner, supervisor, or crew member responsible for installing Ductile iron pipe? Have you ever become nervous before a hydrostatic pressure test or experienced increased anxiety during a test? Were you relieved when the waterline passed the test? What about if it failed? Did you feel defeated?
My local water utility recently contacted our home to inform us they were turning the water off from noon to 6:00 p.m. to repair a newly discovered water leak. This situation made me think about water loss, specifically how long the water line had been leaking, how many gallons of treated water was lost, and how a utility keeps up with water loss. This Iron Strong Blog describes the various components of a Water Loss Control Plan (WLCP) and the importance Ductile iron pipe (DI pipe) plays in an overall water management strategy.
Customers will, at times, ask why manufacturing facilities are shut down. Let's face it; we live in an "I want the product, and I want it NOW world," and no one wants to hear about a shutdown. The following #IronStrong Blog, previously published and authored by former McWane Ductile Sales Representative Ben Leonard, will demonstrate what occurs during a shutdown and the main reason for a shutdown which is ultimately “YOU,” the customer.
A major goal of a water utility is to increase its safe yield as it can directly relate to economic development, potential limiting of new customer connections, or quality of life in general when ample water supply is limited. In this #IronStrong Blog, we will discuss factors that affect safe yield and strategies to ensure it.
Have you ever been asked to supply a submittal for one of your construction projects? As we all know, water, electricity, gas, and fiber optic are critical to infrastructure today, with many facets involved in each project. These installations must be constructed to adhere to the specifications required by the engineer and demanded by the owner. Most projects, whether they are public or private, require a preconstruction submittal package that ensures all the product requirements are being met. In this Iron Strong Blog, we cover the creation and content of product submittals in more detail as we provide step-by-step instructions for utilizing the McWane Ductile Submittal Builder.
In a continuous effort to make your job easier, we have developed an online submittal builder to quickly and neatly package your personalized presentation.
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Looking for answers to your DI pipe questions? Find decades of Ductile iron expertise with installation guides, videos, tip sheets, training resources, and more in our Learning Center.
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Stop struggling with those hard-to-figure field calculations and put ease and efficiency right at your fingertips with our Pocket Engineer for mobile and desktop devices.
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