South Staffordshire Water Goes Large

South Staffordshire Water is the first company to benefit from the new larger size of Saint-Gobain Pipelines'

PAM Natural ductile iron pipeline system after choosing the 700mm diameter option for a major new potable water pipeline in the Lichfield area.

The 7km pipeline from Seedy Mill to Pipe Hill will carry drinking water supplies to the Lichfield area and will help to reinforce potable water distribution to surrounding networks.

With the project demanding a large diameter pipeline system able to cope with a pressure rating of 25bar to cover all future contingencies, the availability of PAM Natural in DN 700mm enabled South Staffordshire Water to specify a trusted product that met the project specifications.

Saint-Gobain Pipelines, the UK's leading supplier of ductile iron pipe systems to the water industry, took the decision to extend the successful PAM Natural range with 450mm to 800mm diameter pipes, to give utilities customers more opportunity to benefit from the advantages that PAM Natural offers.

PAM Natural is quicker and easier to install than equivalent conventional pipe systems.

And crucially for specifiers, it offers superior performance with no price premium over existing pipeline systems.

PAM Natural is coated with a superior external protection system, consisting of a zinc-aluminium alloy finished with a highly distinctive blue epoxy seal coat that eliminates the need for PE-sleeving normally required in more aggressive soils.

Ian Mitchell, Principle Project Manager for South Staffordshire Water had previously used PAM Natural for pipeline projects and outlined key benefits for its use in the Lichfield project.

Mr Mitchell commented: "Ductile iron is the obvious and most economical choice for us on this installation given the pressure ratings required and our positive previous experiences of PAM Natural.

"Since we first used PAM Natural in early 2002, it's proved to be easier to install than other materials, with a major consideration being that we don't have to worry about the application of muffs or sleeves and all the logistical problems that can cause.

The new larger diameter gives us the flexibility of choice we're looking for and has made the specification work a relatively simple task." Brian Mellott, Major Account Manager at Saint Gobain Pipelines' Water and Sewer Business Unit commented: "PAM Natural has been a tremendous success since its launch in October 2001 with almost all of our water industry customers now using it".

Now with a broadened range of diameter sizes, customers such as South Staffordshire Water have more flexibility when it comes to choosing PAM Natural for projects where it has distinct benefits over other pipeline systems.".

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