Development, Evaluation, and Installation of a New Improved PVC (iPVC) Pipe for Water Applications

Many U.S. utilities rely upon iron pipe to deliver water through their distribution network. It has only been in the past 50 years that other products have penetrated in the water utilities. The industry has turned to various cementitious and plastic materials largely to overcome aggressive soil and water that can be corrosive to the metallic pipes. This paper will discuss a current water research foundation (WaterRF) study on the development and testing of a new structurally enhanced polyvinyl chloride (PVC) pipe called iPVC. The pipe was developed in South Korea by Pyungwha Pipe Industry Inc. (PPI) and currently is used for water distribution systems in Japan and China as well as South Korea. The evaluation is achieved by series of selective testing on the pipe, including impact, stiffness, tensile, short-term hydraulic burst pressure, fatigue, and bedding test. The evaluations will also include pilot installation and operation of the pipe as part of an active system. This paper will discuss the results of testing and evaluation process including the field installation performance of the iPVC in the St. Louis County, Missouri by Missouri American Water. Prior to the evaluation, the iPVC pipe has passed the National Sanitation Foundation, NSF 61 certification and complied with the American Water Works Association (AWWA) C-900 standard.