Demands on water infrastructure are increasing worldwide. Against a backdrop of challenges, durability is no longer optional; it’s fundamental to protecting investment, ensuring reliability and safeguarding public trust.
Durability can be challenging to evaluate and predict during procurement, yet decisions made during specification will determine whether a system operates seamlessly for generations or becomes a source of disruption, cost and risk.
Engineers and planners must ask the right questions at the design stage to ensure that every element, from pipes and chambers to joints and connectors, can withstand decades of mechanical, chemical and environmental stress. These five considerations are central to identifying water infrastructure solutions proven to perform in real-world conditions.
1. What’s the certified service life, and is it independently verified?
Service life claims are easy to make, but must be backed by robust, independent testing to offer genuine assurance. For critical uses, like infrastructure systems for high-traffic areas, verification by an accredited third party gives a valuable picture of how a system will perform over time. Lifespan assessments should be based on realistic operating conditions and consider not just material strength, but also the environmental exposure and mechanical stresses a system will likely face.
Choosing a system with a proven, extended service life can help avoid premature replacement, minimize unplanned works and support more predictable asset planning. Having that confidence level can make everyday operations much smoother in busy urban areas—where repairs can be expensive, disruptive and unpopular.
2. Can the system accommodate ground movement, traffic load and settlement?
Durability isn’t only about strength; it’s about adaptability too. Roads and railways create constant vibration and loading, soils expand and contract with changing weather, and ground settlement can happen slowly over decades. If a system can’t adapt to these changes, cracks, leaks or joint misalignments become far more likely.
Design features delivering controlled flexibility, such as joints capable of absorbing angular deflection, help protect against these stresses and extend network longevity. This is especially relevant in high-traffic zones or regeneration areas where ground conditions can vary significantly within a small area.
3. How resistant is the system to chemical and environmental degradation?
Buried infrastructure is often exposed to conditions that test its resilience, such as acidic soils, industrial discharge or ground contaminated with hydrocarbons. Over time, such environments can degrade materials, reduce performance and potentially lead to structural failure.
That’s why components should be made from materials proven to resist chemicals they’re likely to encounter and maintain performance across various temperatures and moisture levels. Resistance to ultraviolet light during storage or staging before installation can also be important.
4. What measures minimize the risk of leaks, particularly during installation?
Many system failures aren’t caused by materials wearing out, but by issues occurring at the installation stage, particularly with joints and seals. Even a small leak can lead to water loss, ground erosion, surface subsidence and contamination of nearby soil or watercourses.
Well-thought-out seals and joint designs can make correct installation easier and help ensure long-term reliability. Features that reduce the risk of misalignment or incorrect orientation are especially useful when working with teams of varying experience. In smart water management systems like IoT-enabled water infrastructure, reliable, leak-free joints help ensure the data collected is dependable.
5. Does the system exceed performance standards?
When designing infrastructure that will last decades, it’s worth looking for systems that go beyond minimum performance requirements. Exceeding standards for load-bearing capacity, deformation tolerance and resistance to chemical or hydraulic stress can provide extra peace of mind.
Independent testing that benchmarks performance against, and ideally beyond, these requirements gives specifiers, procurement teams and municipal decision-makers greater confidence that the system will perform consistently in real-world conditions—not just in controlled lab tests.
A smarter way to specify durable systems
When durability is factored in from the outset, infrastructure projects often run more smoothly; fewer repairs, less disruption, lower maintenance costs and a better return on investment. Asking targeted questions about service life, adaptability, chemical resistance, joint integrity and performance testing is a practical approach to ensuring assets deliver over the long term.
Product choice becomes pivotal. The best solutions combine verified longevity with performance credentials above minimum standards to ensure performance in various applications. At Wavin, we’ve developed our water infrastructure portfolio with these priorities in mind:
- Our Wavin Biax and Apollo PVC-O pressure systems combine high strength and impact resistance with reduced weight for easier handling and installation. They suit long-distance pipelines, urban trunk mains and key water or gas corridors.
- The Wavin Acaro sanitary network offers durable, chemically resistant performance in non-pressure systems, supporting reliability even in aggressive wastewater environments.
- The Wavin Tegra 600 LC inspection chamber is verified to be 100 years durable, has a high recycled material content and installation-friendly features such as a flexible ball joint for ground movement and secure seals to prevent leaks.
Together, these systems are ready to help cities and utilities create infrastructure that meets today’s needs and is ready for the challenges of the decades ahead.
To learn more about how engineering for the long haul is so relevant in nowadays urban planning, read our other blogs:
1. The case for durability: Why resilient pipe systems are the backbone of infrastructure
