WorldWide Drilling Resource

72 OCTOBER 2014 WorldWide Drilling Resource ® of it fromwells. Whether drilling a replace- ment or a new irrigation well in Minnesota, farmers must apply for an irrigation per- mit through the DNR and file pumping reports. The DNR recently received an in- crease in enforcement funding, so the agency will be able to more aggressively enforce the law and assess penalties to those irrigators who don't comply. Minnesota cont’d from page 68. Study Confirms PVC Longevity in Excess of 100 Years Adapted from Information by the Utah State University The Utah State University (USU) Buried Structures Laboratory in Logan, Utah, conducted a comprehensive study on PVC pipe excavations, testing, and life cycle analysis. USU is also home to the Utah Water Research Laboratory which has significantly contributed to water and wastewater research interna- tionally for over 50 years. This study of PVC pipe reviews past dig-up reports and introduces new quality control testing results which validate the performance and longevity of PVC pipe used in water networks. A combinat ion of pipe exam- i na t i on and test ing data in conjunction with previous pipe break studies sup- port PVC as a sustainable pipe materi- al and confirm its longevity in excess of 100 years. “Understanding the longevity of pipes improves the ability of a water util- ity to make better infrastructure investment decisions with improved affordability re- sults for customers,” said report author Dr. Steven Folkman. A previous USU study on water main breaks in the U.S. and Canada, indicated PVC pipe had the lowest rate of main breaks of all pipe materials exam- ined, including ductile iron, cast iron, steel, concrete, and asbestos cement. This re- port continues to explore PVC reliability and longevity, as well as affordability. It comes at an ideal time as the U.S. water sector faces the difficult task of renew- ing its buried infrastructure. According to the U.S. Conference of Mayors a total of $2.28 trillion is need- ed in water and wastewater piping over the next 20 years. In addition to reducing water main breaks, using corrosion-proof PVC pip- ing to replace the nation’s aging water and wastewater piping would also re- duce operations and maintenance costs. Corrosion of iron piping is a major prob- lem for water systems and newer metallic pipes are experiencing failures more rap- idly than older types because of their thin- ner walls. The report also found PVC pipes offer a high degree of resilience in freezing conditions. This would help reduce the ever increasing number of iron pipes which fail during winter across the U.S. annually. “Many utilities have fallen short in producing appropriate cost and life cycle comparisons of pipe performance. Data on water pipe longevity must be combined with asset management techniques to make water and sewer infrastructure more durable and affordable. As well, elected officials, financial managers, and utility professionals must work together to create a new management paradigm for water and wastewater systems,” con- cluded Folkman. )0&"%1 "6)&4 ,, ,, 2)&0 -%3120*"+ )0&"%1 "-% 312., )0&"%1 "-3'"$230&0 .' -&02*" !&+%&% 0*++ */& 3"+ !"++ 0*++ */& !*0&+*-& 0*++ .% "1*-( .,/.1*2& !*0&+*-& 0*++ .%1 .-*$ 0*++ */& "1*-( *21 &0$311*.- "1*-( *21 0*++ .++"01 *1)*-( ..+1 3#1 2"02&0 .%1 "-% 2"#*+*7&01 0*++ */& -$ )*0% 2 8 !*-12&% ).-& 8 8 "5 2., %0*++/*/&*-$ $., 8 444 %0*++/*/&*-$ $.,