Town of Neepawa, in Manitoba, Canada, Joins Century Club in Recognition of 100+ Year-Old Cast-Iron Pipes in Drinking Water System

Water Mains Installed in 1912 "Shown the Test of Time"

BIRMINGHAM, Ala., Oct. 19, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The Ductile Iron Pipe Research Association (DIPRA) welcomes the town of Neepawa in Manitoba, Canada, to the Century Club, which celebrates the strength and durability of cast iron water mains.

Neepawa installed the cast iron mains along its Mountain Avenue in 1912. The town is currently in the process of replacing 4-inch mains with larger pipes to aid in fire flow operations, said Operations Manager Denis Saquet. There are also original 6- and 8-inch mains still in operation today.

"The original watermains from 1912 have shown the test of time," Saquet said. "We are very lucky with ground conditions and corrosion levels."

Saquet said he expects the remaining mains to last for at least 50 more years.

"Cast iron pipes have delivered clean, safe drinking water for generations, and we're excited to welcome Neepawa to the Century Club," said DIPRA President David Cole. "The fact that the pipes in Neepawa have stood up to Manitoba's winters for so long is a testament to the strength and durability of the high-quality pipe material. As the modern descendant of cast iron, ductile iron has improved on that strength and resilience to provide communities with peace of mind that their water delivery system is free from volatile chemicals and the pipes are not susceptible to cracking and leaching."

The Cast Iron Pipe Century Club was organized in 1947 to publicly recognize water utilities with Cast Iron mains that have provided service for 100 years or more. There are more than 550 water utilities in the United States and 34 water utilities in Canada that are members of DIPRA's Century Club. Many of these utilities are all still using at least some of the cast iron pipes installed underground more than 100 years ago. DIPRA also sponsors a Sesquicentennial Club, of which 25 utilities in the U.S. and four in Canada are known to have enjoyed cast iron pipelines in service for more than 150 years.

About DIPRA

Founded in 1915, the Ductile Iron Pipe Research Association (DIPRA) has served as a resource and technical advisor to the water industry. DIPRA also provides representation on standards-making committees as well as technical research on a variety of applications-based topics. While DIPRA member companies have different names and locations, they share a common commitment to produce and deliver the finest quality water and wastewater pipe material in the world, Ductile Iron Pipe, and at the greatest possible value to its purchasers.

SOURCE Ductile Iron Pipe Research Association (DIPRA)