A traditional bell-and-spigot water or sewer system joins 10 or 20-foot lengths of pipe that create an opportunity for leaks at every joint. Today’s installation standards allow new pipelines to leak thousands of gallons of water each year by design. Validated water system audit data from 246 water utilities in 2013 revealed that some 130.1 billion gallons of water were lost due to system leakage. The overall potential volume of water lost due to leakage becomes “staggering” when one considers that there are over 50,000 water utilities in the Unites States alone. (11)
Plastic Pipe Industry research and standardization initiatives have culminated in a system of technologies that provide the end-user with the potential for absolute minimal system leakage. The thermal fusion technologies that have been developed for many of the plastic piping systems (PE, PP and PVC, for example) provide for a joint that is as strong or stronger than the pipe itself when properly performed with the appropriate equipment in accordance with industry standards. The end result is the potential for a leak-free piping system offering minimal potential for flowstream loss or contamination, optimal system performance, and overall longevity of the system’s operation. To the system operator or the end-user, precious natural resources are saved and the energy to treat, store and distribute potable water, as an example, is reduced thus providing an overall lower carbon footprint for the system.