Educational Webinars

PVC Pipe Association Webinar Series

Welcome to the PVC Pipe Association's online webinar training series. Our webinars offer educational and informative workshops on an on-going basis to support the use of PVC piping in water and wastewater systems. Webinars include examples of how PVC pipe has benefited utilities across North America.

We also provide customized webinars on the design, specification and installation of PVC pipe for water and sewer projects. Let us know if you would like us to organize a webinar for your organization by emailing info@unibell.org.

*Note for PVC Pipe Association webinars offering Professional Development Hours (PDHs): Continuing education requirements for professional engineering licenses may differ from state to state. The final authority to approve PDHs, courses and credits and other ways to earn credits rests with each state licensing board. Individuals are advised to contact their respective state licensing boards regarding their continuing education requirements for professional engineering licensure.

Upcoming Webinars

Updates to the 6th Edition Handbook of PVC Pipe Design & Construction – October 8, 2025

October 08, 2025 10:30 AM Enroll


Ideal for Water and Sewer Utility Engineers, Contractors, Inspectors, Engineering Consultants and Developers

Handbook of PVC Pipe Design and ConstructionThe new sixth edition Handbook of PVC Pipe Design and Construction is the most comprehensive and up-to-date reference document available on gasketed PVC pipe and fittings. Written and sponsored by the PVC Pipe Association (PVCPA), the Handbook provides the most practical engineering, construction, and operations information for underground PVC piping systems in both pressure and nonpressure applications. The collaborative result of thousands of hours of research and review, it is without question the most authoritative publication on gasketed joint PVC pipe and fittings.

This webinar by PVCPA staff will provide attendees with a concise overview of the Handbook, complete with practical tips on how to use it best, that will help users to be more effective at designing, installing, and operating PVC pipelines, helping to ensure optimum system performance. Included in the presentation are answers to frequently asked questions that will help ensure maximum design life for your underground PVC pipe infrastructure.

Attendees Receive a FREE Hard Copy or Digital Version of the Handbook

Obtain the latest information on gasketed PVC pipe design, installation, and operation. Emphasis will be placed on general principles, useful empirical rules, and practical design and installation procedures. Procedures and recommendations on PVC pipe will be reviewed using the latest research and findings. Discussion of health & safety, sustainability, and asset management is also included.

The one-hour webinar will cover the main updates to the 6th edition Handbook, with highlights of the following:

  • Three new chapters: Health & Safety, Sustainability, and Asset Management
  • Revised and simplified content
  • Reorganized and expanded chapters
  • Additional technical information available on PVC pipe and fittings
  • Updated standards and references
  • Latest research and findings on PVC pipe
  • Guidance on utilizing new online design calculators

To view the background information, please click on the following links:

Group pricing is available for teams of 10 or more. Please reach out to info@unibell.org for more information.

Date: Wednesday, October 8, 2025
Time: 10:30 AM - 11:30 AM Central Standard Time
PDHs: 1
Price: $149.00

Enroll

External Load Design for PVC Pipe in Deep-Bury Applications – October 22, 2025

October 22, 2025 10:30 AM Enroll


Ideal for Designers, Reviewers, Regulators and Managers of Piping Systems

PVC Pipe in Deep-Bury ApplicationsPVC Pipe Association (PVCPA) staff will review information on the use of PVC gravity sewer and water pipe in deep-bury applications. This webinar will address a subject commonly misunderstood by design engineers: flexible pipe design as it pertains to deep-bury installations. Some engineers and utilities in the U.S. and Canada have arbitrarily set depth-of-bury limits for PVC without a complete engineering and installation analysis. PVCPA staff will review flexible pipe design and important engineering considerations for deep-bury projects. This presentation will explain how the pipe/soil structure provides the strength for PVC sewer and water pipe in buried applications.

Real-world data and modeling results from a new study titled, “PVC Pipe in Deep-Bury Applications,” will also be discussed. The research study used Finite Element Analysis (FEA) modeling and laser profiling of in-service PVC sewer pipes to assess PVC’s performance and reliability under deep-bury conditions.

The one-hour webinar covers the following topics:

  • Definition of pipe stiffness
  • Definitions for flexible pipe and rigid pipe
  • How pipe stiffness is determined
  • Comparison of pipe stiffness for different pipes
  • Trench types
  • Soil stiffness determination
  • Pipe/soil interaction
  • Deflection differences between large-diameter and small-diameter pipe
  • Deflection calculations
  • Pipe design examples for various depths
  • Use of finite-element analysis (FEA) in deep-bury evaluation
  • Laser profiling results from in-service PVC sewer pipeline

Webinar: External Load Design for PVC Pipe in Deep-Bury ApplicationsTo view the background information for this webinar, please review the following:

Group pricing is available for teams of 10 or more. Please reach out to info@unibell.org for more information.

Date: Wednesday, October 22, 2025
Time: 10:30 AM - 11:30 AM Central Standard Time
PDHs: 1
Price: $149.00

Enroll

Debunking Misconceptions on PVC Pipe – November 5, 2025

November 05, 2025 10:30 AM Enroll


Ideal for Water Utilities and Engineering Consultants

While PVC pipe is the most widely installed pipe material for water and sewer infrastructure, competing pipe products will often make claims to put doubt in the minds of utility and consulting engineers. Many such claims are either false or without proper context. When engineers do not know the facts, they are unable to undertake a proper material evaluation.

This webinar will address many of the common false claims and misconceptions that have been put out by competitors. Not only will facts and independent, third-party studies be presented, but this presentation will also draw from 60 years of experience from utilities across North America that have used PVC water and sewer pipe. More than 40,000 utilities in the United States and Canada use PVC pipe today.

This 60-minute webinar will cover the following topics:

  • Health and safety attributes of PVC pipe
  • Longevity and performance
  • Sustainability
  • Hydraulics
  • UV exposure
  • Installation, bedding, backfill
  • Tapping
  • Locating

To view the background information for this webinar, please see the following links:

Group pricing is available for teams of 10 or more. Please reach out to info@unibell.org for more information.

Date: Wednesday, November 5, 2025
Time: 10:30 AM - 11:30 AM Central Standard Time
PDHs: 1
Price: $149.00

Enroll

Municipal Case Study Series: Improving Water Pipeline Performance and Reliability in Jackson, MS, and at WaterOne in Johnson County, KS with PVC Pipe – November 19, 2025

November 19, 2025 10:30 AM Enroll


Ideal for Sewer Utility Engineers, Installation and Maintenance Staff, Consulting Engineers, and Contractors

Municipal Case Study Series: Improving Water Pipeline Performance and Reliability in Jackson, MS, and at WaterOne in Johnson County, KS with PVC PipeWelcome to the PVC Pipe Association’s (PVCPA) municipal case study series, featuring leading utility and waterworks experts presenting on important topics. The fifth webinar in our series will examine two studies where PVC pipe was selected to address corrosion issues and improve pipeline operation.

Buried infrastructure represents approximately 70% of total capital assets for a utility which is why water pipeline decisions are increasingly being driven by data, performance evaluation, and long-term system planning. These case studies demonstrate how utilities can proactively assess material performance in the field, evaluate trends, and make informed decisions to improve their standards and practices.

Jordan Rae Hillman, Chief Data Officer at JXN Water will discuss how lack of capital investment and neglect of infrastructure led to the 2022 water crisis in Jackson, MS. As a result, through a court order, the EPA mandated changes in utility management and oversight in the City of Jackson. Part of the solution to the failing water system was to identify all the issues and then address the most critical. One example is the emergency replacement of a corroding water pipeline at a major junction of four transmission lines and valves that restored system function. Jackson traditionally used only iron piping and is now transitioning to PVC pipe.

Shaun Pietig, P.E., General Manager and CEO at WaterOne, will discuss how to use operational data, cross-department collaboration, and forward-looking planning to enhance long-term pipeline performance, reliability, and system resilience. As the public water utility serving 18 municipalities in Johnson County, KS, WaterOne originally adopted ductile iron pipe (DIP) with the expectation of a 100-year service life. The utility identified early performance concerns with DIP and responded by making a change. Field data revealed premature corrosion in the region’s highly corrosive soils – even with the use of polyethylene encasement (polywrap). As a result, the engineering team conducted a comprehensive analysis of pipe performance, engaged with its field crews, and implemented a strategic shift to PVC as the new standard pipe material nearly two decades ago.

Three Key Takeaways for Attendees:

  • How a utility can identify and evaluate current practices in their water infrastructure.
  • The approach that utility managers can take to involve all departments and personnel for implementing change.
  • The importance of being proactive in infrastructure management rather than reactive.

Featured Presenters:

Jordan Rae Hillman Jordan Rae Hillman is Chief Data Officer at JXN Water (Jackson, MS) where she uses data-driven decision-making to help keep the water system stabilized. Jordan was Chief Operation Officer from September 2022 to August 2024 and Interim Director of Public Works at JXN Water during Jackson's water crisis, leading emergency response efforts and negotiating the federal order that appointed third-party manager JXN Water for the City's water system. Previously, Ms. Hillman served as Director of Planning for the City of Jackson and Community Development Director for Brandon, MS. She has more than 15 years of experience in planning and design, asset management, systems design, GIS, policy development, and collaborative planning.

Shaun Pietig, P.E., is General Manager and CEO at WaterOne, a public water utility serving 18 municipalities in Johnson County, Kansas. She reports to the Governing Board and is responsible for the daily administration of the utility's operations, personnel, and financial Shaun Pietig, P.E.affairs. Ms. Pietig joined WaterOne in 2007 as a Project Engineer and later served as Infrastructure Planner and Asset Manager, Lead Engineer, Manager of Distribution Engineering, and Director of the Distribution Division. She had previous experience as a Design Engineer and Project Manager at a consulting engineering firm. Shaun holds board and leadership positions dedicated to asset planning, asset renewal, sustainability, and management of water treatment and distribution systems with numerous national and regional organizations and associations.

This two-part, one-hour webinar will cover the following topics:

  • Existing system assessment
  • Material evaluation considerations
  • Design and planning issues
  • Installation and site condition challenges
  • Lessons learned from switching pipe materials
  • Pipe material usage moving forward

To view the background information for this webinar, please click on the following links:

Additional resources available online also for review:

Group pricing is available for teams of 10 or more. Please reach out to info@unibell.org for more information.

Date: Wednesday, November 19, 2025
Time: 10:30 AM - 11:30 AM Central Standard Time
PDHs: 1
Price: $149.00

Enroll

Installation of PVC Water and Sewer Piping Systems – December 17, 2025

December 17, 2025 10:30 AM Enroll


Ideal for Water and Sewer Utility Engineers, Contractors, Inspectors, Engineering Consultants and Developers

Webinar: Installation of PVC Water and Sewer Piping SystemsThis training webinar by PVC Pipe Association (PVCPA) staff will provide the most up-to-date information available on installation practices for gasketed PVC water and sewer pipes and fittings as well as answer frequently asked questions. Properly installed pipelines ensure best performance and maximum design life for underground infrastructure.

FREE Contractor's Guide for All Participants

The reference book for this educational seminar is the new Contractor's Guide, which is the most concise, authoritative publication available for the installation of gasketed-joint PVC pipes and fittings. Webinar registrants will be mailed a FREE copy. Written and sponsored by PVCPA, the guide comes complete with practical tables and figures that helps users to be more effective and efficient at installing PVC piping systems, reducing potential pipeline problems and helping to ensure optimum system performance. It can also serve as a reference document prior to undertaking a pipeline project.

Recommended for Local Underground Pipeline Installation Contractors

It is highly recommended that local water and sewer pipe installation contractors participate in this training seminar. Utilities are encouraged to forward this email to their local underground pipeline contractors and have them register. The Contractor's Guide is also useful to utility crews involved in installation or maintenance of PVC water or sewer systems. The easy-to-use, "reversible book" format provides two valuable guides in one and assists readers to quickly access the information they are seeking.

The 60-minute webinar will cover the following topics:

  • Manufacturing and plant testing of PVC pipe
  • Handling and storage
  • Proper joint assembly
  • Alignment deflection options
  • Joint restraint options
  • Fittings for PVC pipe
  • Tapping of PVC pipe
  • Post-installation testing
  • Special installation considerations

To view the background information, please click on the following links:

Group pricing is available for teams of 10 or more. Please reach out to info@unibell.org for more information.

Date: Wednesday, December 17, 2025
Time: 10:30 AM - 11:30 AM Central Standard Time
PDHs: 1
Price: $149.00

Enroll

 

Topics

General

  • Overview of PVC Pipe
  • Frequently Asked Questions About PVC Pipe

​Design

  • Design of PVC Pressure Pipelines
  • External Load Design for PVC Gravity Sewer Pipe
  • Sewer Force Main Design
  • Hydraulic Design - Friction Factors for PVC Piping Systems

Installation & Operation

  • Installation of PVC Water and Sewer Piping Systems
  • New Guide on Tapping Small and Large Diameter PVC Water Pipe
  • A Look at the Longevity of PVC Water Pipe

Additional Resources

  • Life Cycle Assessment for PVC Water and Sewer Pipe and Comparative Sustainability Analysis of Pipe Materials
  • Review of PVC Standards Sheets
  • Technical Resources for PVC Piping Systems: An Overview
  • Water and Sewer Utilities Considering PVC Pipe for the First Time