Success of Thermoplastic Piping Systems in the Water Treatment Industry

Over 50 years ago, the handling of harsh chemicals represented one of the first applications for plastic piping systems. Since then, plastic piping system products have continually been developed in accordance with market and regulatory requirements and today are uniquely positioned to provide suitable materials as well as cost-effective and safe methods for handling most fluids in many industries and markets and namely the fast growing water market. The success of thermoplastic valves is due to the fact that they are in some cases the only solution to the water treatment industry, while in other instances offer a viable replacement for traditional materials like metal when one factors in total cost of ownership, safety, reliability, efficiency and carbon footprint. This paper examines the basic selection criteria of thermoplastic piping systems with special emphasis on material compatibility, valve function, maintenance and the benefits of thermoplastic piping systems from an environmental perspective.