TABLE OF CONTENTS The complete elimination of corrosion is difficult if not impossible. Technologies generally exist to reduce or inhibit corrosion, though the determination of feasibility may depend mostly on economics or risk/aesthetic trade-offs. Corrosion depends on both the specific water quality and pipe material in a system, and a particular method may be successful in one system and not in another, or even show different results in different parts of a distribution system of a single utility or water supplier.
There are several approaches to control corrosion (Singley, Beaudet, and Markey, 1984; AWWA, 1986):
Modify the water quality so that it is less corrosive to the pipe material.
Place a protective barrier or lining between the water and the pipe.
Use pipe materials and design the system so that it is not corroded by a given water.
The most common ways of achieving corrosion control are to:
Properly select system materials and adequate system design.
Modify water quality.
Use inhibitors (may require pH or DIC adjustment as well).
Provide cathodic protection (mainly for external corrosion).
Use corrosion-resistant linings, coatings, and paints.
In many cases, corrosion can be reduced by properly selecting system materials and having a good engineering design (Singley, Beaudet, and Markey, 1984; AWWA, 1986). Some pipe materials are more corrosion-resistant than others in a specific environment. In general, the less reactive the material is with its environment, the more resistant the material is to corrosion. When selecting...
