External Corrosion of Water System Piping - Causes & Solutions

Corrosion impacts water systems in many more ways and to a far greater degree than many of us regularly consider. The construction of water systems is frequently financed through public revenue bonds with a 30-year term. The systems are often designed for a minimum 40-year life, but neither the financial projections nor design life adequately account for the impact of corrosion. Expensive repairs and replacements of system components can financially cripple the water operator, and directly cost the consumer far more than necessary for an inferior product. An infrastructure study in New York determined that the direct cost of leak repair for the Water Supply Bureau was $7,323 per failure. An extreme case is the City of Winnipeg, where a $7.7 million program is required to reduce the leak frequency to 2200 annually, which is equivalent to 1.8 leaks/mile of pipe/year.