Pipe Issues Blog

Welcome to the Pipe Issues Blog

Welcome to my blog.

North America's underground infrastructure is crumbling at an alarming rate, so smarter, more cost-effective and sustainable practices are needed.

Broader use of PVC pipe would solve this problem and enable municipalities to spend taxpayer dollars more wisely. To do this, local governments and utilities need to modernize outdated procurement practices that ignore corrosion-proof PVC pipe.

Explore our web site and visit my blog to learn about the exceptional performance and environmental attributes of PVC pipe, and why it should be included in every bid for water and wastewater infrastructure. To connect to my blog, bookmark this page or link our Pipe Issues Blog to your RSS feed program.

Industry expert and Uni-Bell PVC Pipe Association Executive Director Bruce Hollands shares the facts.

Understanding Your Options – PVC Pipe Material Comparison Sheets

May 25, 2021  Bruce Hollands

To help decision-makers with the complexities of the selection process, the Uni-Bell PVC Pipe Association has developed pipe material comparison sheets.

PVC Water Mains: Not A Source of Benzene From Wildfire Events

Apr 27, 2020  Bruce Hollands

Performance of PVC pipe in California’s wildfires — a clean bill of health.

Comparing Pipe Hydraulics: The Importance of Equivalent Pressure Class and Declining "C" Factor for Ductile Iron (DI) Pipe

Jun 4, 2018  Bruce Hollands

This technical report examines head loss and pumping costs over 100-years for PVC and ductile iron pipe.

PVC Pressure Pipe Under Roads

Apr 18, 2018  Bruce Hollands

Some pressure pipe designers and owners are not comfortable with the use of PVC pressure pipes under roads. Their concern is that traffic loads will cause the pipe to over-deflect (ovalize).

Storm-Drainage Joints: Watertight is the Best Long-Term Design

Mar 6, 2018  Bruce Hollands

Discussion of different joint types for storm-drainage pipe – soil-tight, silt-tight, and watertight.

PVC and HDPE Pressure Pipes: Material Comparison

Mar 2, 2016  Bruce Hollands

For municipal applications, PVC pressure pipe is manufactured and tested per the AWWA C900 and C905 standards and is now available in sizes up to 60 inches. HDPE pressure pipe is manufactured per the AWWA C906 standard in diameters up to 65 inches.

PVC and Fiberglass Gravity Sewer Pipes: Material Comparison

Oct 15, 2015  Bruce Hollands

PVC sewer pipe is manufactured and tested per ASTM standard F679 and is now available in sizes up to 60 inches. Fiberglass sewer pipe is manufactured per ASTM standard D3262 and is available in diameters of 24 inches and larger.

U.S. Conference of Mayors Says Open Pipe Procurement Can Reduce Rising Water and Sewer Rates

Nov 6, 2014  Bruce Hollands

A study by the U.S. Conference of Mayors (USCM) says open pipe procurement can reduce rising water and sewer utility rates. Click here for report.

Buy Your PVC Pipe from Members of the PVC Pipe Association

Nov 6, 2013  Bruce Hollands

More than 40,000 North American water and sewer utilities use cost-effective, corrosion-proof PVC pipe today and it has been in service on the continent for more than 60 years.

Water Pipe Safety-Factor Reduction: A Risky Proposal from the HDPE Industry

Oct 9, 2013  Bruce Hollands

Conservative safety factors are key to the durability and cost-effectiveness of today’s infrastructure. Utility engineers have helped to ensure the longevity and high performance of North America’s piping networks by adhering to a minimum safety factor of 2.0 for their water system designs. Unfortunately, the polyethylene (HDPE) pipe industry is proposing a risky revision to the AWWA C906 standard that will reduce the safety factor on pressure class to 1.6. The change is based on material properties unrelated to pressure capacity and for which there is no precedence or valid scientific basis. Moreover, discussion of this issue has been muddled by the HDPE pipe industry’s inclusion of unrelated arguments about improvements in the “design factor.”