We in the United States are most fortunate, for the most part, to have access to safe, clean drinking water. Even when traveling, we are not hesitant to draw water from a hotel faucet to brush our teeth or even fill a glass to drink. This privilege is no accident.
When discussing Ductile iron pipe (DI pipe) in corrosion-resistant applications, glass-lined DI pipe often comes to mind. Glass lining has often been the specified lining for DI pipe in sewer and chemical resistant applications. Common uses for glass-lined pipe are for situations such as a sludge line in a wastewater treatment plant or when harmful chemicals are present in the pipeline. There may be occasions in the field when patching of the glass lining may be necessary.
In the field, a contractor can become frustrated when attempting to locate the source of a water leak in a buried pipeline. Having a reasoned plan of resolve will save a lot of time, money, and headaches, along with demonstrating a true level of professionalism to outside observers. In this Iron Strong blog, we will examine the patterns of thought, questions to be answered, and the different assessments used when locating a leak.
Why is your bottom-line important to us? For more than three decades, I had the privilege to serve within the nation's largest investor-owned water utility. During that time, I clearly saw the advantage of a financially sound utility. Whether it be having the resources to invest in needed facilities, provide a work environment that would attract well-qualified people, or purchase needed supplies and equipment to operate the business effectively. These are just a few advantages of maintaining a strong bottom-line.
This entry in the Iron Strong Blog compares the performance of Ductile iron pipe (DI pipe) to Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) pipe against cyclic pressure variations in piping systems. Cyclic loading, or more accurately, cyclic surges, is a phenomenon where pressures in a pipeline frequently vary due to changes in demand, operating conditions, storage tank levels, treatment plants, and pump starts and shutdowns. Surges can also occur during common field operations such as exercising or flushing fire hydrants or valves within the system, which can drastically change flow parameters, causing surges or water hammers.
This Blog Reflects Significant Updates for Envision Manual V3. As we know, America's infrastructure is in crisis! According to the American Society of Civil Engineers, the estimated investment needed is $1 Trillion over the next 25 years for underground water infrastructure. This investment, as well as the ever-increasing cost of electricity, limited water supply, ever-decreasing natural resources, and environmental concerns, are driving the need for change. Change on how infrastructure is designed and constructed – utilizing more sustainable design and construction practices. ENVISION is designed to provide guidelines for these changes to North American infrastructure. In short, it is a rating system approach very similar to LEED Building Certification; however, with the focus on infrastructure.
Envision not only asks, ‘Are we doing the project right?’ but also, ‘Are we doing the right project?’
For buried pipelines, there can be several soil conditions that adversely affect water quality via permeation. As a waterworks professional, you most likely will ask “Where and when might these harmful conditions be present, or even potentially develop, and what solution is available to best protect my water system from this issue? We will look at several of the more common risks in this article and discuss protective measures that can be utilized. These risks can include contaminated soils from areas in or near older landfills, industrial sites, and abandoned or leaking fuel tanks, to mention a few.
It’s a great day on the job site, and your crew is running hard—you're making up for lost time, possibly due to weather delays. You're expecting your next load of Ductile iron pipe (DI pipe) any minute, and your goal is to unload your pipe as safely and quickly as possible. Before you let the truck take off, you need to understand and follow these guidelines before receiving your pipe.
After being in the water and sewer industry for almost 15 years, I can safely say a question I hear frequently is “Can Protecto 401™ be used in potable water service applications?” And that is exactly what we are going to talk about in this Iron Strong Blog. We all know it when we see it, the pipe with the red bell and spigot. It sticks out like a sore thumb so that it can be noticed without any confusion. But where can it be used and what is its purpose?
If you're like most people, you probably don't sit around thinking about how much Ductile iron pipe (DI pipe) weighs so in this Iron Strong Blog we are going to tell you where to find the weight of the pipe and why it is essential to familiarize yourself with the weight of the pipe.
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