BIRMINGHAM, Ala., Jan. 16, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — The Ductile Iron Pipe Research Association (DIPRA) welcomes the City of Columbus, OH, to the Sesquicentennial Club, recognizing cast iron pipes in the municipality’s drinking water system that have been in service for at least 150 years.
“The strength and resiliency of cast iron pipes never ceases to amaze,” said DIPRA President David Cole. “For more than 150 years, people in Central Ohio have enjoyed clean, safe drinking water thanks to the foresight of those who designed the original water system. Through the years, the city’s leaders, engineers, and others who work in and with the Division of Water have continued making smart decisions about their drinking water pipes to ensure their community’s health. We’re so excited to welcome the City of Columbus to DIPRA’s Sesquicentennial Club and commend them for their diligence and expertise in maintaining their high-quality and high-performing system.”
The city installed the cast iron pipes in the current downtown area between 1870 and 1873. The pipes, which range in diameter from 4 inches to 20 inches, remain in service. The city’s Division of Water does not replace water mains solely based on age but rather focuses on performance and other factors that necessitate an upgrade.
“Our oldest cast iron mains in the Columbus water system have been our most robust and longest lasting pipe,” Brian Haemmerle, assistant administrator in the Division of Water said. “Allowing communities to select the pipe material that is best for their community and their operations is important to Columbus and we continue to review our specifications on pipe materials, installation methods, and useful life as new technology emerges to ensure the residents of Central Ohio receive the best value for their rates.”
The Cast Iron Pipe Century Club was organized in 1947 to publicly recognize water utilities with Cast Iron mains that have provided service for 100 years or more. There are more than 550 water utilities in the United States and 35 water utilities in Canada that are members of DIPRA’s Century Club. DIPRA also sponsors a Sesquicentennial Club, of which 27 utilities in the U.S. and five in Canada, are known to have had cast iron pipelines in service for more than 150 years.
About DIPRA
Founded in 1915, the Ductile Iron Pipe Research Association (DIPRA) has served as a resource and technical advisor to the water industry. DIPRA also provides representation on standards-making committees as well as technical research on a variety of applications-based topics. While DIPRA member companies have different names and locations, they share a common commitment to produce and deliver the finest quality water and wastewater pipe material in the world, Ductile Iron Pipe, and at the greatest possible value to its purchasers.
SOURCE Ductile Iron Pipe Research Association (DIPRA)
