June 04, 2025* | Case Study
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Transforming water infrastructure in Texas with an HDPE pipe donation
For everyone across the world, access to fresh and consumable water is crucial. Since only 3% of our planet’s water is fresh, it is even more important that the pipe that delivers it is long-lasting and durable.
That has never been truer than today, as regions around the globe face growing water infrastructure challenges.
CHALLENGE
Water infrastructure and piping system deterioration
To support the United States water supply, thousands of miles of water pipe made of iron, steel, concrete, clay or even wood were installed decades ago and intended to last 40-50 years. These utility pipes are nearing the end of their serviceable life. Due to pipe deterioration from old age and extreme weather conditions, nearly six billion gallons of treated drinking water are lost every day in the U.S. alone. That’s roughly 2.1 trillion gallons a year – enough to support 15 million households.
After the February 2021 freeze, many Texas communities were devasted by the inclement weather impact on the state’s infrastructure. Some cities were even left without clean drinkable water due to water line failures, including three small, rural towns.
SOLUTION
Collaborative efforts for water systems
Dow, industry leaders and local government officials collaborated to replace approximately 42,000 feet of metal pipe with leak-and-corrosion-resistant high-density polyethylene (HDPE) pipe in several parts of the rural towns’ piping systems, equivalent to the combined length of 116 football fields.
Long-term benefits of HDPE pipe installation
The newly installed pipes are expected to avoid approximately 3.5 million gallons of water loss annually, equivalent to over 26 Olympic-sized swimming pools.
The pipes were manufactured with Dow’s CONTINUUM™ Bimodal Polyethylene Resins, providing more durability and flexibility, as it helps to prevent line fissures, unnecessary water loss and exceeds industry performance standards. The new, reliable sections of the water piping system will also require less maintenance with over a 100-year lifespan.
As the United States focuses on improving water infrastructure for future generations, we are committed to providing solutions that have a positive impact in our communities and our planet for generations to come.
About the article
This project was made possible due to the active involvement of associations and organizations throughout the pipe value chain including Pipeline Plastics, Modern Dispersions, McElroy Manufacturing, Red River Authority of Texas, Plastic Pipe Institute, the Alliance for PE Pipe and others.
This case study was developed by a cross-discipline team representing geographic, global citizenship and market expertise across Dow. To learn more about how we collaborate to help support thriving communities, visit our Purpose in Action page.
*This article was originally published Dec 17, 2021