Ductile Iron Pipe in the Field
The primary cost for transmission and distribution pipelines is not from annual operation and maintenance, but mostly from failures and frequent service interruptions that ultimately require replacing the entire pipeline.
With Ductile iron pipelines, the capital costs are higher than less expensive pipe materials; however, the annual operating costs are generally very low. This is because protected Ductile iron pipes have a service life of over 100 years, even in most corrosive environments.
Preventative Maintenance
Following condition assessment of iron pipes, preventive maintenance programs are vital in ensuring continuous service through local repairs and flushing/lining programs. In addition, iron pipes in service provided with life extension sacrificial anodes would require maintenance through monitoring and replacement of anodes over the years.
Unlined cast iron pipes suffering from internal corrosion could be flushed and cleaned, then lined in place using cement lining or other types of cured-in-place linings. These rehabilitation methods extend the service life of problematic iron pipes initially installed in corrosive environments without internal and external corrosion control.
