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Critical Infrastructure Failures Drive Need for Innovation

by | Jun 17, 2024 | Press Release | 0 comments

Hobas Pipe: The Leader in Fiberglass-Reinforced Pipe

Made in America, Built for Life.

Hobas Pipe manufactures tough, lightweight and inherently corrosion resistant, leak free fiberglass reinforced polymer mortar (FRPM) pipe systems.  Our sustainable, precision construction delivers high quality, hydraulically efficient flow and long-life pipe.  Our pipe has the longest design life in the pipe industry – 150+ years.

US Water and Wastewater Market

Our US water and wastewater infrastructure is showing signs of wear, at an average of 75 years into a 50-year designed life span and quickly flowing well beyond its expiration date.  There’s never been a better time for municipalities to expand and upgrade their communities.

Infrastructure Report Card

Recently the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) released their 2024 Infrastructure Report Card indicating the demand for water is 39 billion gallons per day, our water infrastructure for repairs and expansion are not keeping pace – suffering from lagging funding to address the need.

From ASCE’s 2024 report:

“Funding for drinking water infrastructure has not kept pace with the growing need to address aging infrastructure systems, and current funding sources do not meet the total needs. In general, however, state and local governments have invested more than their federal counterparts. Despite the growing need for drinking water infrastructure, the federal government’s share of capital spending in the water sector fell from 63% in 1977 to 9% of total capital spending in 2017. On average, about two-thirds of public spending for capital investment in water infrastructure since the 1980s has been made by state and local governments.”

From ASCE’s 2020 economic study:

“The Economic Benefits of Investing in Water Infrastructure: How a Failure to Act Would Affect the U.S. Economic Recovery” found that the annual drinking water and wastewater investment gap will grow to $434 billion by 2029. Additionally, the cost to comply with the EPA’s 2019 Lead and Copper Rule is estimated at between $130 million and $286 million. Drinking water utilities also face increasing workforce challenges. Much of the current drinking water workforce is expected to retire in the coming decade, taking their institutional knowledge along with them. Between 2016 and 2026, an estimated 10.6% of water sector workers will retire or transfer each year, with some utilities expecting as much as half of their staff to retire in the next five to 10 years.”

 Takeaways

The ASCE findings highlight a few ways to climb out of this deficit in supporting a resilient and sustainable water infrastructure for the US.

  1. Triple the amount of annual appropriations to the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund program and fully fund the Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act program and the U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development programs.
  2. Utilities should implement asset management programs, tools, and techniques to evaluate asset condition and risk, and to prioritize capital and O&M decisions; states should provide funding, training, and technical assistance for asset management programs.
  3. Increase utilities’ resilience by integrating smart water technologies such as machine learning software and real time data sensors into drinking water infrastructure systems.
  4. Eliminate the state cap on private activity bonds for water infrastructure projects to bring an estimated $6 billion to $7 billion annually in new private financing.
  5. Increase federal and local support to find, train, and retain the next generation of the drinking water sector workforce to help offset the large number of expected retirements.
  6.  Utilities need to conduct revenue forecasting models to determine the necessary rate revenues that reflect the true cost of water that is needed to provide safe, reliable drinking water and more resilient infrastructure.
  7. Develop and fund affordability programs to ensure that low-income and vulnerable communities do not bear a disproportionate burden of rate increases.
  8. Support voluntary partnerships for small community water systems in need.

Source:  Water Infrastructure | ASCE’s 2021 Infrastructure Report Card

The Challenge Facing Municipalities Today

The state of water and wastewater infrastructure in the United States has been a pressing concern.

Underinvestment

The nation has chronically underinvested in water infrastructure for too long. Aging systems, including drinking water and wastewater treatment facilities, are nearing the end of their design lives (typically 75-100 years).

Bipartisan Infrastructure Law

The recently passed Bipartisan Infrastructure Law represents a significant step forward. It allocates more than $50 billion to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for improving drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater infrastructure. This investment is the largest ever made by the federal government in water infrastructure.

Investment In Infrastructure Projects Today

Today the US is investing over $55 billion in water, wastewater and stormwater infrastructure through the 2021 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act for updates to our aging infrastructure; yet only 5% or $3 billion has been awarded to projects and communities as of February 2024 [Source: USASpending.gov, Bluefield Research].

Our municipal partners know the infrastructure investment decisions made today have never been more critical. It is now more important than ever to consider longevity, sustainability, intergrity and quality when selecting materials for these projects.  We simply cannot continue to make the same decisions as past generations to fill the growing cracks, but to replace and upgrade community infrastructure systems with the right products that are essential for our expanding and thriving communities.  It’s important now to build a lasting and sustainable system for future generations.

ASCE’s 2021 Report Card for America’s Infrastructure graded drinking water, stormwater, and wastewater infrastructure as C-, D, and D+, respectively. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has identified that the United States (U.S.) needs over $743 billion for water, wastewater, and stormwater system enhancement and restoration.

Drinking Water Improvements

Investments in community drinking water have been accelerating, fueled by the EPA requirements for better water and better water access. Here are some of the initiatives and funding sources.

  • Safe Drinking Water: The law allocates $11.7 billion to the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (SRF).
  • Lead Service Line Replacement: An additional $15 billion goes to the Drinking Water SRF specifically for lead service line replacement.
  • Emerging Contaminants: $4 billion is earmarked for the Drinking Water SRF to address emerging contaminants.
  • WIIN Grants: $5 billion supports Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation (WIIN) Grants to tackle emerging contaminants.

Clean Water Enhancements

  • Clean Water State Revolving Fund (SRF): Receives $11.7 billion.
  • Emerging Contaminants: An additional $1 billion is allocated to the Clean Water SRF for addressing emerging contaminants.
  • National Primary Drinking Water Regulation for PFAS – On April 10, 2024, U.S. EPA announced the final per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) maximum contaminant levels (MCL) rule for drinking water. In this rule, U.S. EPA establishes MCLs for the five PFAS compounds listed: 4.0 parts per trillion for PFOA and PFOS; and 10 parts per trillion for PFNA, PFHxS, and HFPO-DA (Gen X).

The Answer: Hobas Pipe Commitment to Water Access and Quality

Hobas Pipe currently has over 18 million feet across the US supporting water and wastewater infrastructure in communities coast to coast.  Hobas pipe meets and exceeds the standards for the water and sewer industries.

Non-Pressure Sanitary Sewers:

Pressure Water Systems:

Additionally, Hobas Pipe holds certifications such as:

Hobas Pipe: The Answer to Innovation in Water Pipes

Water pipes have been in use since 4,000 BCE. However, no pipe can last forever. Over the years, various materials and solutions have been tested to create pipes that are long-lasting, durable, and sustainable but many have fallen short.

Hobas Pipe is dedicated to improving America’s water infrastructure with their Fiberglass Reinforced Polymer Mortar (FRPM), a material built with longevity and sustainability in mind.

Read more.

Looking Ahead

Hobas Pipe and the new PFAS regulations

The EPA has updated the standards. With these updated standards, our cities and municipalities have a lot of questions.

“Hobas Pipe USA’s pipes are evaluated in accordance with NSF Standard 61, which includes an exhaustive study of chemicals that could potentially leach from a pipe when exposed to water. No PFAS was detected during the analysis. There is absolutely no concern with these chemicals in Hobas products,“ states Kimberly Paggioli, PE.

Because Water is Life. Hobas Pipe.

Our specialty is critical wet infrastructure, which is the lifeblood of our communities. Without water or waste removal there is literally no civilization. Municipalities, engineers and communities rely on our long-life, corrosion resistant pipe.

Hobas Pipe is not new to supporting wet infrastructure with over three decades as a trusted manufacturer of fiberglass pipe and fitting systems for private and public municipalities. With over 18 million feet of leak-free pipe which could span over 40,000 football fields–that’s a lot of football fields and a lot of pipe!

Hobas Performance and Sustainability

Hobas Pipe systems are designed and tested for more than 150 year+ lifespan, leak-free joints, innovative restraining systems for pressure and corrosion free performance. All of this translates to a lower total cost of ownership (TCO) for our customers and their communities.

Investing in Hobas Pipe adds up to a long-term return and big savings.

  • Energy Savings: Hobas hydraulically efficient pipe saves energy in pumping costs
  • Reduced Maintenance Costs: no need for cathodic protection or coatings
  • Lower transportation Costs: lightweight design
  • Low Carbon Footprint: Hobas Pipe is committed to having the lowest carbon footprint

To learn more about why innovation in pipe infrastructure is more important today than ever, view our infographic, read the history on the water pipe.

Municipalities are realizing short and long-term savings with investment in Hobas Pipe for their water projects.

Trust Hobas Pipe with your water and sewer projects.

  • Built and tested to over 150+ life span
  • Leak free joints
  • High performance coupling easy assembly
  • LIght weight lower transportation costs, smaller carbon footprint
  • Consistent OD
  • Excellent long term hydraulics C-155
  • Excellent abrasion resistance
  • Lower pumping costs due to smooth interior, less resistance
  • No need for cathodic protection or coatings

Production Expansion

We have expanded our production capacity to meet today’s growing infrastructure needs with an expanded capacity and delivering vital pipe and fitting systems to infrastructure projects around the US every day.

Today we celebrate over 18 million feet in the ground, and the capacity to produce more to meet the infrastructure needs of tomorrow.

A Future with Hobas Pipe

Generations from now will appreciate creating a sustainable, long-lasting, leak-free piping infrastructure in the US.  Municipalities from small growing communities to large bustling ones are on the front lines of scoping, designing and implementing infrastructure for the future.  Hobas Pipe teams with municipalities across the country to ensure that the water and sewer piping infrastructure is Made in America, Built for Life.

Providing peace of mind for future generations through safe, reliable, green infrastructure that can save millions of dollars over its useful life.

Hobas Pipe manufactures tough, lightweight and inherently corrosion resistant fiberglass reinforced polymer mortar (FRPM) pipe.  Our sustainable, precision construction delivers high quality. Smooth flow and long-life pipe.  Our pipe has the longest design life in the pipe industry – 150+ years.

More about Hobas Pipe Commitment to Sustainability and Environmental Impact.

Amiblu pipes have a low carbon footprint compared to other pipe materials. (Hobas Pipe is a licensee of Amiblu.) This has been confirmed by external bodies and universities.

Comparison to other materials

An independent study conducted at the Norwegian University of Life Sciences in 2012 concludes that GRP pipes have a minimal negative environmental impact compared to other pipe materials. The main reason for this is material efficiency.

Energy-efficient in operation

The smooth bore and good flow characteristics of Amiblu pipes reduce the amount of energy used for pumping. In penstocks, it increases the energy output.

Low energy consumption in production

The amount of energy used in the production of Amiblu pipes is less than what is required for most other pipe materials.

Efficient transportation

The lightweight design combined with the fact that Amiblu pipes can be nested during transportation lead to lower carbon emissions from pipe transportation.

Recyclable Amiblu pipes are recyclable.

The Federation of Reinforced Plastics in Germany recommends that GRP (FRP in US) pipes are used e.g. in cement production.

Source:  Amiblu Product Guide:  Amiblu-Product-Guide.pdf