The invention of the water pipe was one of the unsung catalysts of humanity’s ability to create massive metropolises with millions of people. These systems are essential to urban development because they transport fresh water supplies, funnel sewage, and prevent flooding. Without the help of a vast network of water pipelines that provide these services, large populations would quickly succumb to disease and water scarcity.
The history of water piping is ancient – it begins around 4000 BCE with the usage of clay pipes in the Indus River Valley. Over the course of thousands of years, new iterations of the invention began appearing in the same region. Wood pipes appeared in Ancient Crete and Minoa around 3000 BCE, followed by copper pipes in Egypt around 2500 BCE. The first true aqueducts were created in Ancient Greece around 500 BCE, and expanded upon the water pipe design through the development of underground terracotta piping. The Romans improved it even more by constructing 11 aqueducts out of several materials, including stone, terracotta, and even lead. This aqueduct system was the grandfather to the modern day piping system that we enjoy today.
That system currently takes the form of 2.2 million miles of piping that runs throughout the United States. This is equivalent to 4.5 roundtrips from the Earth to the moon. While the current system is extensive and serves many communities around the country, it is not infallible. There is a water main break every two minutes, which leads to a lot of wasted water that has already been treated. Communities are making significant investments to reduce this waste, including $8.5 billion for improvements to pipe infrastructure in 2024.
There has been a long road to create the modern day pipe with a sufficient lifespan. Many of the older versions of these pipes are less advanced and more prone to damage, and must be replaced within the current infrastructure. Steel pipes were one of the first of these older pipes to be created, back in 1820. At the time, they were revolutionary, but they also are obsolete by today’s standards. They are expensive to maintain and replace, and their typically 85 year lifespace is reduced by corrosion to less than 50. They also have weak thermal conductivity, making them poor for domestic use, and extremely high carbon dioxide production.
By 1942, prestressed concrete cylinder pipes (PCCP) had replaced steel pipes. These pipes, which were composed of concrete-reinforced steel, were more durable but only lasted 20 to 40 years. This short life span was often due to the high rate of premature failure. Usually manifesting in the form of a sudden rupturing of the pipe wall. For longer lifespan, engineers later resorted to ductile iron pipes (DIP). Despite having a 55-year lifespan, these pipes have a lot of health hazards associated with deteriorated pipes, such as liver and kidney damage.
A breakthrough came in 1960 with the creation of Hobas fiberglass-reinforced polymer mortar (FRPM) pipes. These pipes stand out for a lifespan of over 150 years and their low environmental impact. They are the piping of choice for updating existing water mains and wastewater pipelines, along with serving as the foundation of new systems.
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