HDPE Pipes for water conduction

The High-Density Polyethylene pipe is used for conduction of pressurized water, available in diameters from ½” to 48”, available in sections of 6 m and 12 m in diameters from 2” to 48” and in rolls of 100 m. in length in diameters from ½” to 3”.

Polyethylene Pipe is made with PPI (USA) certified resins, which are BIMODAL of the third generation, It has superior mechanical properties such as hardness, resistance to tension, impact, crushing, and abrasion. It is of high chemical resistance, non-toxic, and has a life of up to 100 years with minimal maintenance.

HDPE pipe has proven to be superior to many other materials as a means of transporting and distributing potable water. Long service life and low maintenance costs, along with its ability to be installed with a variety of trenchless technologies, mean that HDPE pipe has the lowest life cycle costs of any potable water piping system.

The HDPE pipe can be joined by butt fusion, a method with which a monolithic union is achieved that is more resistant than the 100% hermetic pipe itself.

HDPE pipe is light in weight and flexible, adapting to uneven terrain and supporting dynamic loads, which leads to its ease of low-cost installation.

HDPE pipes can handle ambient and fluid temperatures ranging from -40°F to 140°F, making HDPE water pipes suitable for use with hot or cold water in many different environments. HDPE pipe can withstand repeated freeze/thaw cycles without damaging the pipe.

In potable water applications, it is critical that chemicals do not leach from the piping material into the water. Studies show that HDPE pipe is safe for potable water applications, and disinfectants such as chlorine and chloramine are approved for use on HDPE pipe. HPDE piping will not corrode or tuberculation, maintaining flow rates for the life of the system.

Unlike more brittle pipe materials like PVC and ductile iron, HDPE pipe is more durable and flexible with a bend radius of up to 20 times the pipe diameter. This allows HDPE pipe to fit an imperfect installation route without the need to add expensive fittings and excessive pipe joints.

The pipe is certified in Mexico by the organization “Certificación Mexicana SC” under the Official Mexican Standard NOM-001-CONAGUA-2011 – Drinking water systems, home intake, and sanitary sewage-Hermeticity-Specifications and test methods.

The reference standard is NMX-E-018-CNCP-2012. Plastic industry – High-Density Polyethylene Pipes (HDPE) for the conduction of water under pressure, specifications, and test methods.

Objective and field of application

This Mexican Standard establishes the specifications that must be met by high-density polyethylene pipes (HDPE), used for the conduction of pressurized water, English series, in diameters from 13 mm (1/2″) to 1,200 mm (47″).

Concordance with international standards

This Mexican Standard basically coincides with the International Standard ISO 4427-2:2007 Plastics piping systems – Polyethylene (PE) pipes and fittings for water supply – Part 2: Pipes and differs in the following:

1. All the requirements of the PE100 material were taken from the ISO 4427-2 standard.
2. The classification cell for the materials (PE 3608, PE 3708, PE 4608, PE 4708, PE 3710, and PE 4710) was taken from the ASTM D 3350 standard, derived from the fact that they are commercially the materials used by national manufacturers.
3. From the standards ASTM D 2239, ASTM D 3035, and ASTM F 714 the following requirements were taken:
   – Inside and outside diameter,
   – Wall thickness,
   – Work pressure,
   – Short term pressure,
   – The value of the circumferential resistance was taken for each of the materials (PE 3608, PE 3708, PE 4608, PE 4708, PE 3710, and PE 4710) at 80 °C.
4. For the physical characteristics, everything mentioned in the ISO 4427-2 standard was taken.
5. References to international standards are replaced by the corresponding Mexican standards, the foregoing in order to comply with national regulations in accordance with what is indicated in section VI of article 41 of the Federal Law on Metrology and Standardization.