For the past 25 years, raw sewage has spilled into the intracoastal waterway in Florida due to plastic pipe failures. There is a residential area in Central Florida where luxurious homes border the Intracoastal Waterway and the Atlantic Ocean.

In the 1980’s, High Density Polyethylene, or HDPE, was chosen for sewer use. HDPE pipe is installed by fusing the joints together with a specialized machine that requires professional training and experience. After HDPE pipe was installed, there was a failure in the sewer line, causing raw sewage to spill into the local waterways, resident’s yards, and roads. The HDPE joints were not properly fused, and would fail time and time again.

The difference between HDPE and U.S. Pipe TR FLEX restrained joint pipe is that the ductile iron can be easily installed with no special tools or training, in just a matter of minutes, and in any weather condition. This simplicity ensures a watertight restrained joint.

For years the residents endured more disruption to their neighborhood due to failures and leaks from the HDPE pipe. Each time a repair had to be made, it was due to sewage spilling into the area and the local waterways. And subsequently, the road and driveways had to be ripped up each time for the repair. Numerous residents mentioned they were very tired of having their yards and driveways destroyed almost annually.

In 2007, the County decided to replace the HDPE pipes with Polyvinyl Chloride, or PVC. Unfortunately, the PVC also had numerous breaks and repairs – which once again resulted in raw sewage leaking into the Intracoastal Waterway.

One of PVC’s weak points is that the pipe can be over-homed during installation. This occurs when the pipe is pushed too far into the next pipe and it splits. PVC does not have the strength like Ductile iron, which cannot be over-homed. Ductile iron’s impact strength is 13 times that of PVC1 and is so strong it can be installed in extreme conditions without fear of damage to the pipe during installation.

Frustrated by a long history of breaks, numerous residents complaining, and the high cost of maintenance on this line, the County decided to replace the line with the strongest pipe material available: ductile iron pipe. TR Flex Restrained Joint ductile iron pipe made by U.S. Pipe was chosen as the material that would finally end the frustration and environmental impact that had plagued this area for decades. Finally, the residents of Florida were able to enjoy their days without the fear of raw sewage seeping into their lives.