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Plastic Piping For Plumbing - What's it Got to Do With Health?
By: FlowGuard EMEA on 17-ene-2025 10:31:01
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Plastic Piping For Plumbing - What's it Got to Do With Health?

  • Proper plumbing pipe installation and maintenance are crucial in preventing bacterial growth.

  • FlowGuard CPVC plumbing pipes offer superior resistance to biofilm and bacterial threats.

 

  • Choice of water pipe material significantly impacts public health, particularly in healthcare settings.

When it comes to protecting vulnerable populations from harmful bacteria, the importance of plumbing pipes cannot be overstated. Often overlooked, these pipes play a critical role in ensuring the safety and cleanliness of our water supply systems.

 

Installation and Maintenance of Plumbing Pipes

 

Ensuring that plumbing pipes are properly installed and meticulously maintained is fundamental to safeguarding water supply systems. This is especially true in hospitals and healthcare institutions where water safety is paramount. Designers and engineers must be diligent to prevent the growth of dangerous bacteria such as Legionella in homes and Pseudomonas in hospitals.

A major hospital renovation project in Riyadh recently specified FlowGuard CPVC (chlorinated polyvinyl chloride) due to its exceptional properties that combat bacterial growth. Let’s delve into the threats posed by bacterial build-up in water pipes and how FlowGuard CPVC has been designed to limit these threats effectively.

 

Sources of Bacterial Growth in Water Pipes

One of the most significant threats in modern hospitals is the presence of Pseudomonas. These bacteria are particularly dangerous for individuals with weakened immune systems, as they are resistant to many antibiotics, making infections difficult to treat. 
 

Chlorination of water supply lines is one of modern day's most important innovations in protecting our communities. Ironically, it can also be one of your plumbing system's greatest hazards. For example, PPR and PEX pipes may become weaker over time due to exposure to hot chlorinated water.

Bacteria

Pseudomonas thrive in the consistently wet environments within plumbing pipes, creating ideal conditions for the formation of biofilm. Biofilm is a slimy, bacteria-laden substance that can severely undermine the plumbing system’s integrity and facilitate the transmission of infections through water supply lines.

The principal cause of many bacterial threats in public institutions is biofilm, which can harbour other harmful bacteria such as Legionella and E. coli. Download our free brochure to learn more about these waterborne bacteria and their effects.

 

Preventing Bacterial Growth in Plumbing Systems

To effectively combat biofilm formation, regular cleaning and rigorous maintenance of plumbing systems are essential. However, the ultimate defence is a water pipe material with inherent resistance to bacterial build-up.

Biofilm in pipes

 

Metallic Plumbing Pipes


Materials like galvanized steel, copper, and cast iron are susceptible to pitting corrosion over time, which creates uneven surfaces where biofilm can attach and grow. Additionally, scaling in copper pipes can further exacerbate this issue, setting the stage for bacterial growth.

 

Plastic Plumbing Pipes

 

Although plastic plumbing pipes like PPR and PEX are considered more resistant, they can still corrode over time due to the presence of chlorine, used to disinfect water. Moreover, the uneven surfaces created during their installation can facilitate biofilm growth from the get-go.

 

Choosing the Best Pipe for Water Supply Lines

 

Public institutions seeking to protect vulnerable populations need a plumbing material that can withstand high pressures and temperatures, transport safe water, and adhere to local building codes. FlowGuard CPVC stands out in this regard. Its smooth interior surface resists biofilm formation, thereby significantly reducing the risk of bacterial outbreaks such as pseudomonas in hospitals and legionella in domestic water supplies.

FlowGuard CPVC’s resistance to chlorine, due to its highly chlorinated molecular structure, endows it with strength and stability unmatched by competitors, including stainless steel. This attributes to its superior performance in maintaining the integrity of water supply lines.

 

FlowGuard CPVC: Making Plumbing Work Easier and Safer

 

Maintaining healthy water supply lines is a critical challenge when installing plumbing systems in public buildings. Discover more about the advantages of FlowGuard CPVC in major healthcare institutions by watching our Riyadh case study video.

 

DELIVERING
RELIABILITY

For more than 50 years, FlowGuard® Pipe and Fittings has provided reliable hot and cold water plumbing systems to residential and commercial buildings around the world.

DELIVERING
RELIABILITY

For more than 50 years, FlowGuard® Pipe and Fittings has provided reliable hot and cold water plumbing systems to residential and commercial buildings around the world.