Saint-Gobain says that its new ductile iron water pipes offer durability and performance and lower whole life costs over alternative systems
Strength and resilience are claimed for the BluTop range of small diameter ductile iron water pipes from 757 Saint-Gobain PAM UK. The products can be used in an array of roadway applications and have recently passed tough testing in the UK at a special event held in conjunction with Anglian Water. BluTop pipes were drilled and tapped at 250mm intervals by a team from Anglian Water. The pipes were then subjected to repeated heavy blows with a lump hammer but no fractures occurred, proving the durability of the BluTop range according to Saint-Gobain. The drilling and tapping was carried out using off-the-shelf Tyco flat-bossed gunmetal saddles and ferrules and standard drilling and tapping equipment carried by most pipeline contractors. Overall service connection time is just 10-15 minutes, confirming the versatility of the BluTop range. Saint-Gobain says that the BluTop products are lighter than traditional ductile iron pipes, but do not lack in strength and resilience compared with conventional products. The firm adds that using this system can provide leak-free reliability, easy handling, reduced installation costs and high water quality even in contaminated ground. The product is available in 90mm, 110mm and 125mm diameters.
