(PE) Pipe Performance in Potable Water Distribution Systems

╣JANAUtility Rating of PE PerformanceKNOWLEDGE ● VALUES ● SUCCESSOne of the key survey questions asked to utilities was: “On a scale of 1 to 5, with 1 beingunsatisfied and 5 being very satisfied, how would you rate your experience with PE pipingmaterials?”. The results for first generation PE pipe (pre-1980 installations), mid-generation PEpipe (post-1980 installations) and recent generation PE pipe (post 1990 installations) are shown inFigure 6.Figure 6: Comparison of Utility Satisfaction with PE Pipe by GenerationPre-1980 Post-1980 Post-19900%7%7%23%14%53%24%79%93%Satisfied (4 and 5)Somewhat Satisfied (3)Unsatisfied (1 and 2)In looking back on the performance history of PE piping materials, an interesting story unfolds.Utility satisfaction ratings for mid-generation (post-1980 date of installation) PE materials are high(approximately 80%) and higher still for more recent generation PE materials (95% and 93% formains and service lines, respectively). The satisfaction ratings fall significantly, however, for thoseutilities with a date of first installation pre-1980. The analysis that follows shows that this differencein satisfaction is primarily due not to the longer time in service for the earliest generation materialsbut to the significant evolution in performance of PE piping systems through the last half century.The Early DaysUtility satisfaction with the earliest installations of small diameter PE service lines is seen to benoticeably different from that for later generations of PE materials. For materials with a date of firstinstallation pre-1980, only 53% of utilities reported being satisfied or very satisfied (ratings of4 or 5) with their PE service lines, 24% reported being somewhat satisfied (rating of 3) and 23%reported being unsatisfied, as shown in Figure 7.Polyethylene (PE) Pipe Performance in Potable Water Distribution Systems – Past, Present and Future Page 8 of 19Jana Laboratories Inc. 280B Industrial Pkwy S. Aurora, Ontario L4G 3T9 Ph: 905-726-8550 Fax: 905-726-8609 www.janalab.com