Have you ever been so taken aback by the structure of a question that your first thought is, “say what? Did they really just ask me that?” In the vernacular-sensitive world of utility pipelines, it happens more often than you might think.
Unfortunately, the waterworks and water utility industry were not spared from the shortages of finished products essential to maintaining and expanding drinking water systems nationwide. This Iron Strong Blog will discuss McWane Ductile’s present delivery window to the waterworks community and will correct myths and misconceptions that our Ductile iron pipe products are currently unattainable.
The Town of Andover, located in the northeastern corridor of Massachusetts, provides water service to over 10,000 customers in a network of approximately 257 miles of water mains, the oldest dating back to 1886. This #IronStrong blog tells how the Andover Water Division solved a significant water loss issue due to a breach in one of their important mains feeding a commercial/industrial area.
Whenever the word "rating" is used regarding Ductile iron pipe (DI pipe), a 100-psi surge allowance and a safety factor of 2.0 are consistently included for all wall classes. This leads to conservative yet versatile designs for the long-term performance of utility pipelines of all kinds in various or changing conditions. Hence the basic universal rating for DI pipe is 350-psi which equates to a minimum of 900-psi of hydrostatic pressure containment within the pipeline.
Have you ever considered how high temperatures impact your choice of piping material for a water system? It might not be something that comes to mind immediately, but it’s an important factor. Water treatment specialists pay close attention to water temperatures because they influence how the water reacts to treatment chemicals. Additionally, water and ground temperatures can significantly affect the performance of certain piping materials, particularly polyvinyl chloride (PVC).
It’s National Engineers Week (EWeek). Founded by the National Society of Professional Engineers in 1951, EWeek is dedicated to promoting careers in engineering and technology and to developing a diverse, well-educated future engineering workforce. This #IronStrong Blog post highlights the importance of engineers and their impact on the waterworks industry.
When I first started my engineering career, I was placed in charge of coordinating the relocation of water transmission and distribution pipelines to accommodate the construction of an interstate highway through a city of approximately 180,000 residents. Many times, these projects required pre-poured thrust block restraints due to the amended connections between new and old waterlines in a short timeframe so as not to leave customers inordinately out of water for long periods of time.
How do you go to market? This isn’t a question we get often, but it comes up from time to time. Sometimes we're asked by a vendor we work with who is trying to understand McWane Ductile better. Sometimes a candidate asks the question during an interview or a new sales representative asks while we’re onboarding. Other times we have a hard-working team member at one of our manufacturing facilities trying to understand further what and where the product they make goes and how it gets there. In this blog, we will look at the different bidding processes we encounter on a day-to-day basis that allow us to take Ductile iron pipe to market.
Ergonomics is an applied science concerned with designing and arranging objects people use so that people and things interact most efficiently and safely. Reducing the risk of injury through proactive programs is one of the many ways we strive to enhance the ergonomics of our product production. At McWane Ductile and McWane corporate-wide, health and safety are the top priorities, hence the Ergo Cup.
Have you ever heard the saying, “To the man who only has a hammer in the tool kit, every problem looks like a nail?" (Abraham Maslow) In the water utility industry, some folks may feel this way when faced with a pipeline installation that must circumvent natural or human-made obstacles, especially water crossings. So if going around or above isn't an option, what's left? How about below?
In today’s modern world, there are more tools available for installing water pipelines, such as open trench/cut, above-grade pier systems, and Horizontal Directional Drilling (HDD). In this blog, we’ll discuss the benefits of using Ductile iron pipe (DI pipe) for HDD and provide some considerations and tips for your pipeline installation
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