17 Jul From cast iron to PVC-A (PVC-HI): upgrading the water network of the Syndicat d’ Eau de Lezay

The Syndicat d’Eau de Lezay, a French municipality located in the western department of Deux-Sèvres, decided to renovate its drinking water network by laying more than 2000m of FITT Bluforce PVC-A (PVC-HI)* pipes along the RD950 between the towns of Chey and Chenay, replacing the previous PVC-U pipes, dating back to the 1970s, and cast iron pipes, laid in the 1950s.

For this project, 2400 m of FITT Bluforce DN 160 PN 16 PVC-A (PVC-HI)* pipes were installed.

The proposal, made by FITT with the collaboration of the Soval company, was validated by the Syndicat d’Eau de Lezay and the engineering consultancy BRG Ingénierie.

This choice was also judged positively by the Laurière TP/TT Group’s installation companies, who particularly appreciated the ease of installation of FITT Bluforce pipes, their advanced joining system and the perfect compatibility with the couplings available on the market. 

Among the many advantages offered by FITT Bluforce PVC-A (PVC-HI)* pipes, some features proved decisive in the choice:

• The innovativeness of the material
• The durability of PVC-A (PVC-HI)* and its strength
• The easy handling of the pipes even in narrow areas

Durability as a sustainable choice

The ductility that characterises PVC-A (PVC-HI)* is the main guarantee of the material’s durability, as it gives the pipes high resistance to crack propagation, impact and point loads.

Ductility, in the sense of high resistance to crack propagation, translates into a total absence of brittle fracture, thus increasing the pipe’s strength and longevity.

In a circular economy perspective, choosing a material, such as PVC-A (PVC-HI)*, capable of increasing the product’s lifecycle means rewarding sustainability: a pipe that lasts over time, maintaining its functionality unaltered, is an intrinsically sustainable solution that, by delaying its end-of-life as much as possible, avoids the impacts of its possible replacement.

Inside the EPD®, the Environmental Product Declaration for which FITT Bluforce and FITT Bluforce RJ boast the primacy in Europe, is contained a quantification of the product’s impact throughout its entire life cycle, from the extraction of raw materials to the disposal phase.

Easy installation with the Power Lock^® gasket

FITT Bluforce pipes feature the Power Lock^® gasket, a jointing system in which the gasket is mechanically pre-inserted while the socket is being formed.

By preventing accidental displacement of the gasket, this system greatly facilitates installation and guarantees an optimal hydraulic seal over time.

FITT Bluforce: the ideal solution for aqueducts

Thanks to their high inertia to chemical and electrical corrosion, PVC-A (PVC-HI)* pipes do not require any cathodic protection or special coatings.

By virtue of their excellent resistance to chlorine dioxide, which is used to purify water, FITT Bluforce pipes are also an ideal material for aqueducts thanks to their total wall impermeability.

(*) At a regulatory level it is defined as a polymeric alloy of Poly Vinyl Chloride with high impact resistance PVC-HI (such as PVC-M, PVC-A, PVC-CPE). PVC-HI (PVC-M, PVC-A, PVC-CPE) is a thermoplastic material that contains PVC resin with the addition of an impact modifier (PVC-High Impact). Depending on the type of impact modifier, the acronym HI can be replaced with various designations (PVC-A, Acrylic or PVC-A Alloy (polymer alloy); PVC-CPE, Chlorinated Polyethylene; PVC-M, Modified).