The challenges those of us in the drinking water sector face in 2025 are many of the same issues that have faced utility engineers and operators for years now; namely how best to deliver clean, safe drinking water using the highest quality pipe materials and the most modern techniques available and doing so while keeping affordability front of mind.
Where this gets tricky is navigating the regulatory quagmire that gets more and more confusing, especially when there is a shift in policy agendas as we have seen since the beginning of this year.
Over the past several years the federal government made historical investments in drinking water funding aimed at upgrading and modernizing aging infrastructure, aging systems, and antiquated technology. The forthcoming influx of billions of dollars to states, municipalities, and water systems will enable and support several critical initiatives. These include the elimination of lead pipes and their replacement with more suitable alternatives, the creation of training and employment opportunities for the next generation of workers at smaller utility providers, and the development of technologies to remove microscopic contaminants from our drinking water. Our challenge this year – and the years going forward – will be to spend those dollars wisely.
The most basic, and too often overlooked, component of a drinking water system is the pipes. There are an estimated 2 million miles of pipes running under and through our communities, delivering drinking water. For generations, these cast iron pipes provided a tremendous service that left many of those in the communities our water systems serve to largely relegate them to something akin to being “out of sight, out of mind.” Cast iron has proven itself over the years for being strong, resilient and long-lasting. We know of utilities with safely functioning cast iron pipes that are at least 150 years old, and those pipes continue providing clean, safe water.
As utilities across the country are looking to utilize the federal infrastructure funds to replace their aging pipes, they’re looking for something that hits the same marks as cast iron: strength, resilience, safety, and durability. Modern ductile iron pipe is the optimal choice as it satisfies all the necessary requirements. It is also comprised of at least 90% recycled material, and the pipes themselves can be recycled. That’s an important distinction, and one that speaks to the overall safety of ductile iron pipes.
There are no toxic chemicals, and no chemical additives required in ductile iron for it to be safely installed in the ground to perform in a variety of soil environments. Unlike some pipe materials made overseas, customers know that domestically produced ductile iron pipes have been made in facilities across the country that follow stringent local, state and federal regulations. This compliance with rigorous regulatory processes also allows water utilities to know that when they are purchasing ductile iron pipe, they are buying a product free of chemicals and plastic materials.
Over time, ductile iron pipes will prove to be a cost-effective piping option utilities can use. These pipes have a service life exceeding 100 years, feature larger internal diameters to reduce pumping costs, and withstand the heat of raging fires and other natural disasters. While this may seem like a concern limited to rural areas, we all witnessed the devastation as neighborhoods in Southern California burned to the ground earlier this year. This raises serious concerns about the condition of drinking water systems, with many officials and independent researchers already warning about the likely presence of toxins from the incineration of housing and infrastructure materials from the devastating wildfires.
The government and private sector collaborate to do good work, including funding research with organizations and academic institutions who specialize in relevant topics. There is nothing wrong with this, and the Ductile Iron Pipe Research Association works closely with researchers to develop innovative ways to test, prove, and improve our pipes. We believe there should be complete transparency when industry funds research and then uses that research to promote its products. That means, for instance, making it clear when the industry has paid for a study instead of using creative writing exercises to obfuscate where the money came from.
As utilities continue working through the massive investment made by the federal government into our drinking water infrastructure, it is crucial that the best materials are used, the brightest young workers are trained, and the most modern techniques are utilized to keep us safe. That means taking a hard look at the pipes we’re using in these systems and asking whether they will withstand the test of time.
Ductile iron is manufactured here in America, using American iron, and American ingenuity. There are no toxic chemicals used in the manufacturing. Consumers never need to worry that the pipes will crack under pressure or from issues with installation or melt and leach chemicals into their drinking water. The investments made today to upgrade our drinking water infrastructure with the most resilient, cost-effective, and longest-lasting pipes will benefit multiple generations to come – ensuring the cleanest, safest drinking water for our children, grandchildren, and beyond. Ultimately, that’s what we’re doing: manufacturing the highest quality pipes today so that tomorrow, we have the cleanest, safest drinking water possible.
David Cole serves as president of the Ductile Iron Pipe Research Association (DIPRA), a trade association providing research, publications and advisory services on ductile iron pipe to the water industry. Cole previously served as senior vice president of government affairs for the Business Council of Alabama.
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The challenges those of us in the drinking water sector face in 2025 are many of the same issues that have faced utility engineers and operators for years now; namely how best to deliver clean, safe drinking water using the highest quality pipe materials and the most modern techniques available and doing so while keeping affordability front of mind.
Where this gets tricky is navigating the regulatory quagmire that gets more and more confusing, especially when there is a shift in policy agendas as we have seen since the beginning of this year.
Over the past several years the federal government made historical investments in drinking water funding aimed at upgrading and modernizing aging infrastructure, aging systems, and antiquated technology. The forthcoming influx of billions of dollars to states, municipalities, and water systems will enable and support several critical initiatives. These include the elimination of lead pipes and their replacement with more suitable alternatives, the creation of training and employment opportunities for the next generation of workers at smaller utility providers, and the development of technologies to remove microscopic contaminants from our drinking water. Our challenge this year – and the years going forward – will be to spend those dollars wisely.
The most basic, and too often overlooked, component of a drinking water system is the pipes. There are an estimated 2 million miles of pipes running under and through our communities, delivering drinking water. For generations, these cast iron pipes provided a tremendous service that left many of those in the communities our water systems serve to largely relegate them to something akin to being “out of sight, out of mind.” Cast iron has proven itself over the years for being strong, resilient and long-lasting. We know of utilities with safely functioning cast iron pipes that are at least 150 years old, and those pipes continue providing clean, safe water.
As utilities across the country are looking to utilize the federal infrastructure funds to replace their aging pipes, they’re looking for something that hits the same marks as cast iron: strength, resilience, safety, and durability. Modern ductile iron pipe is the optimal choice as it satisfies all the necessary requirements. It is also comprised of at least 90% recycled material, and the pipes themselves can be recycled. That’s an important distinction, and one that speaks to the overall safety of ductile iron pipes.
There are no toxic chemicals, and no chemical additives required in ductile iron for it to be safely installed in the ground to perform in a variety of soil environments. Unlike some pipe materials made overseas, customers know that domestically produced ductile iron pipes have been made in facilities across the country that follow stringent local, state and federal regulations. This compliance with rigorous regulatory processes also allows water utilities to know that when they are purchasing ductile iron pipe, they are buying a product free of chemicals and plastic materials.
Over time, ductile iron pipes will prove to be a cost-effective piping option utilities can use. These pipes have a service life exceeding 100 years, feature larger internal diameters to reduce pumping costs, and withstand the heat of raging fires and other natural disasters. While this may seem like a concern limited to rural areas, we all witnessed the devastation as neighborhoods in Southern California burned to the ground earlier this year. This raises serious concerns about the condition of drinking water systems, with many officials and independent researchers already warning about the likely presence of toxins from the incineration of housing and infrastructure materials from the devastating wildfires.
The government and private sector collaborate to do good work, including funding research with organizations and academic institutions who specialize in relevant topics. There is nothing wrong with this, and the Ductile Iron Pipe Research Association works closely with researchers to develop innovative ways to test, prove, and improve our pipes. We believe there should be complete transparency when industry funds research and then uses that research to promote its products. That means, for instance, making it clear when the industry has paid for a study instead of using creative writing exercises to obfuscate where the money came from.
As utilities continue working through the massive investment made by the federal government into our drinking water infrastructure, it is crucial that the best materials are used, the brightest young workers are trained, and the most modern techniques are utilized to keep us safe. That means taking a hard look at the pipes we’re using in these systems and asking whether they will withstand the test of time.
Ductile iron is manufactured here in America, using American iron, and American ingenuity. There are no toxic chemicals used in the manufacturing. Consumers never need to worry that the pipes will crack under pressure or from issues with installation or melt and leach chemicals into their drinking water. The investments made today to upgrade our drinking water infrastructure with the most resilient, cost-effective, and longest-lasting pipes will benefit multiple generations to come – ensuring the cleanest, safest drinking water for our children, grandchildren, and beyond. Ultimately, that’s what we’re doing: manufacturing the highest quality pipes today so that tomorrow, we have the cleanest, safest drinking water possible.
David Cole serves as president of the Ductile Iron Pipe Research Association (DIPRA), a trade association providing research, publications and advisory services on ductile iron pipe to the water industry. Cole previously served as senior vice president of government affairs for the Business Council of Alabama.
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