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Virtual Polymer Compounds Newsletter Vol 1.2

Deteriorating Sewer Systems: A Costly Secret: 

The infrastructure supporting wastewater disposal and treatment in the United States has been neglected for years. As a result many communities are living on the brink of disaster. Sources have estimated that nearly every municipal and the majority of industrial wastewater treatment plants and pipelines are in serious need of repair. In 2008, the estimated cost for these repairs is more than 500 billion dollars.

Local and state governments are reluctant to dedicate funds, raise fees and/or taxes to pay for these much-needed repairs. Industrial wastewater treatment is becoming a non-productive overhead cost that negatively affects bottom line profits. While there is no constituency speaking out for capital improvements in wastewater handling or treatment at the moment, this is likely to change over the next five to ten years. Unless immediate remediation and improvements are started, this problem may become an major issue during the next decade. If ignored, we are likely to see catastrophic system failures in most major metropolitan areas that may result in the leaking and dumping of raw, untreated sewage into major waterways and even secondary streams. The great environmental health gains of the 1980s and 1990s could be lost in just a few short years. System-wide failures of this proportion could even result in serious public health risks.

Government leaders and municipal officials have been slow to recognize the increasing rate of deterioration of traditional concrete piping, manholes and structures. One reason given for this alarming rate of deterioration in traditional concrete-built infrastructures is the changing chemical consistency of our wastewater. Innovative and more aggressive, harder to treat chemicals are entering the aging and unprotected sewer systems, decreasing operating life while increasing the potential for failure.

One very basic example of this problem is caffeine. Recent studies at the University of Oregon have discovered enormous rates of caffeine in fresh water. A well maintained wastewater treatment plant can filter out about 99% of caffeine. Due to the overloaded condition of these plants and the increasing amount of caffeine in America’s diet, the amount of caffeine escaping through these filters and finding its way into our fresh water continues to increase. This condition is likely to be true of other more aggressive and dangerous chemicals as well.

With every challenge, an opportunity is born. Polymer chemistry, like that used to produce fiberglass linings and products, is resistant to virtually every chemical typically found in a municipal sewer system. Utilizing fiberglass products in place of, or to replace, traditional concrete and steel products extends the life of the treatment system indefinitely.

Virtual Polymer Compounds, LLC is a proven leader in the manufacturing and use of fiberglass-reinforced plastic. VPC aids in the repair, restoration and expansion of the nation’s wastewater handling and treatment facilities by providing high-quality, corrosion-resistant fiberglass products. Call us today at 888-290-9522 for more information on our maintenance-free, corrosion-resistant and cost-effective flow measurement products.