One of the most important and ancient technologies made by humans are water pipes. They support civilization by providing a means to supply clean water, control the sewer system, serve as fire protection, and many other essential functions to sustain our survival. The Indus River Valley, located near modern day India and Pakistan, is where the history of water pipes began, over 6,000 years ago. This prototype water pipe system was originally made out of clay, but eventually evolved to wood and copper over time. New iterations of the water pipe began to appear in other locations such as Egypt and Ancient Crete around 200 B.C.
The first actual aqueduct systems were developed in Ancient Greece in 500 B.C. These systems were made as underground terracotta pipes. Ancient Rome further refined this design and built a complex system of aqueducts out of materials like wood, stone, terracotta, leather, lead, and bronze. Now almost two thousand years later, water pipes are a staple for our cities and many of our modern day amenities wouldn’t exist without this invention. In the United States alone, there are currently more than 2.2 million miles of water pipelines, which is enough to make a trip to the moon 4.5 times.
Even in modern times, piping materials continue to evolve. The steel used to make early American pipes was strong but corrosive, with a life expectancy of less than fifty years. High replacement costs and difficult maintenance resulted from this corrosion. Prestressed Concrete Cylinder Pipes (PCCP) were introduced in 1942, which had a lifespan of 20-40 years. It had a high rate of premature failure, typically occurring as a sudden rupturing of the pipe wall. Ductile Iron Pipes were then invented in 1955. These pipes had a longer lifespan, at 55 years, but its excessive carbon dioxide emissions caused serious environmental problems.
The invention of Hobas Fiberglass Reinforced Polymer Mortar (FRPM) pipes in 1960 marked a significant advancement. These pipes are prized for their longevity, with a lifespan of more than 150 years. They also cause limited environmental impact compared to earlier materials by offering a lower carbon footprint.
Despite these developments, there are still many problems with the current piping infrastructure in the United States. Every day, leaks lose over 6 billion gallons of treated water—enough to fill 9,000 swimming pools. The 75-year-old infrastructure that was originally intended to last only 50 years is causing higher maintenance expenses, more carbon emissions, and infrastructure failures like sinkholes.
Significant investments need to be made into upgrading this infrastructure in order to address these problems. American cities plan to upgrade their water pipe networks with over $8.5 billion in investments by 2024. Pipe material innovations—especially eco-friendly ones like FRPM—are essential to lowering environmental impacts and enhancing the dependability of infrastructure. Fiberglass reinforced polymer pipes are the way of the future for water infrastructure because of their extended lifespan and low carbon footprint. Cities are hiring Chief Resilience Officers and Chief ESG Officers to supervise these advancements as they place a greater emphasis on sustainability.
