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The dangers of weak-water infrastructure in North America were seen clearly
in February
2021,
when a major ice storm and freezing temperatures led to a partial failure of the
electricity and water supply grids in Texas. The storm led to 210
deaths;
and millions were without power for days in freezing temperatures that burst
water pipes, froze wells and shut down water treatment plants across the
state.
Roughly 13 million
Texans
were told to boil water for safety reasons after the storm; but residents of
rural towns such as Aspermont, Carey and Northfield were left
without running water after the aging metal and cast iron pipes burst.
When drinking water was cut off to these Texas cities,
Dow worked with local municipalities, businesses
and associations such as the Plastics Pipe Institute (PPI),
Pipeline Plastics, McElroy
Manufacturing
and Modern Dispersions to focus on the
future by donating a more durable and sustainable piping solution
to
the citizens in need. The 42,000 feet (equal to 116 football fields) of leak-
and corrosion-resistant high-density polyethylene (HDPE) PE4710 piping used to
replace portions of the transmission lines were produced by Pipeline Plastics
using Dow’s CONTINUUM™ Bimodal Polyethylene Resins.
As the one-year anniversary of the Texas storm approaches and we head into the
coldest months of the year, we reflect on the need for retrofitting and
rebuilding aging infrastructure that is crucial to avoid future disasters like
these.
Making water networks work
Image credit: Dow
Extreme weather events, like the now-infamous winter storm that froze parts of
Texas, have forced us to reckon with how fragile and aged our infrastructure is
in the face of dramatic temperature swings. The EPA
estimates
that 10 percent of homes in the US have leaks that may waste 90 gallons or more
of water per day. A November 2021 Houston Chronicle
story
noted that the 311 Houston Service Helpline received approximately “25,660
reports of water leaks between January and October of 2021. This was up from
just over 19,000 in the same period last year.”
Many of these leaks were due to decades-old infrastructure made of materials
such as steel, cast iron, ductile iron, copper, lead, asbestos cement and
reinforced concrete pipes that are now reaching the end of their design life.
Originally intended to last 20 to 50+
years,
these networks are unable to operate reliably under increasingly harsh
conditions. What’s more, the American Civil Society of Engineers issues
“America’s Infrastructure Report Card”
every four years — and 2021’s GPA is a C-.
The city of Aspermont’s single water supply line before the storm was a
50-year-old, eight-inch steel piping system. 1,500 feet of the transmission line
froze solid during the storm. Carey and Northfield had a 14-inch cast-iron pipe
dating back to the 1930s, which suffered a catastrophic circular failure. Cases
like these are seen across the US, adding up to hundreds of thousands of miles
of water piping that need to be repaired and replaced — but what should be used
in their place?
The future of the water network
Image credit: Dow
Pipes made with CONTINUUM™ Bimodal Polyethylene
Resins
offer the longest lifecycle of any potable water pipe material, due to the
resins’ durability — which means less need for maintenance and replacement. The
partners were awarded a 2021 Municipal Leadership Award from the Alliance
for PE Pipe in the “first-time
user” category for the project, which allowed local governments and the Red
River Authority of Texas to restore reliable water service to these
communities.
In the long term, these networks will provide a more sustainable water system,
avoiding an estimated 3.5 million gallons of annual water loss from breaks and
leaks in the system for decades to come, and will require less maintenance
during their 100+-year design life. Resilient to extreme weather events, HDPE
pipes meet or exceed all industry performance standards, offering the longest
lifecycle of any potable water pipe across virtually any climate.
CONTINUUM Resins also create seamless, leak-resistant pipelines that can play a
significant role in water conservation
efforts.
By enabling the use of pipes that preserve water quality and prevent water loss,
these pipes are helping ensure the safety and health of communities.
Protecting our most valuable resource
The “once-in-a-lifetime”
storm that
resulted in the partial failure of Texas’ electricity and water grids may turn
out to be far more common than anticipated as the climate continues to evolve.
To ensure that all citizens have access to the basic human necessity of clean
drinking
water,
it is imperative that we rebuild our nation’s infrastructure. We have the
technology — and we’re putting it to work.
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