Water Treatment Solutions
Water & Wastewater Flow Control Solutions
Powering Communities. Enabling Industry. Protecting Water.
Water infrastructure does more than serve communities. It enables the industries that drive modern life. From municipal water systems and wastewater treatment facilities to data centers, semiconductor fabs, and advanced manufacturing operations, Harrington delivers the water treatment piping solutions, technical expertise, and application support required to move, manage, and protect critical water resources with confidence.
Water is one of the world’s most critical resources, and the infrastructure that delivers, treats, and manages it is essential to both communities and industry. Aging infrastructure, population growth, water scarcity, regulatory requirements, and expanding industrial demand all require smarter, more resilient solutions.
The Chemical Environment of a Treatment Plant
Every zone of a treatment plant presents a distinct corrosion challenge. Chlorine and sodium hypochlorite attack metal and degrade incompatible thermoplastics. Alum, caustic soda, ferric chloride, and pH adjustment chemicals each require their own material solution. A mis-specified dosing line results in premature corrosion, unplanned shutdown, and repair work in a facility that cannot suspend treatment operations. On the potable side, the requirement extends to regulatory compliance, as any component in contact with drinking water must be certified against leaching. Selecting corrosion resistant pipe for water treatment correctly at the specification stage is substantially less costly than remediation after installation.
Technical Expertise Across Municipal And Industrial Water Systems
Water treatment is among Harrington’s longest-standing markets and remains one of our deepest areas of application knowledge. We support contractors, EPCs, OEMs, and end users across municipal and industrial water and wastewater systems, applying CAPEX project experience to plant expansions, system upgrades, and infrastructure investments from intake through discharge. Our product breadth spans plastic & metal pipe, valves, pumps, instrumentation, tanks, filtration, and FRP, consolidating what would otherwise require multiple vendor relationships into a single technical partnership.
Our technical specialists and coordinated national supply chain reduce project risk, support regulatory compliance, and protect long-term system performance from startup through decades of operation.
Material and Component Selection by Process Zone
Specifying plastic pipe for a water treatment plant is a zone-by-zone determination driven by chemistry, temperature, and potable contact requirements.
- PVC Schedule 40 and 80 serves raw water, filtered water, and general distribution, offering a significant cost advantage with NSF-61 certified options available for potable contact.
- CPVC addresses elevated temperature zones and tighter chemical tolerances where PVC reaches its service limit, also available NSF-61 certified.
- PVDF and polypropylene are specified for aggressive dosing applications, including sodium hypochlorite, acid and caustic feed, and ferric chloride, where concentrated chemistry degrades lesser materials over time.
- FRP covers large-diameter and structural applications, including aeration systems.
- Valves by function: true union ball valves for isolation, butterfly valves for large-diameter headers, diaphragm valves for corrosive chemical service, and check valves on dosing pump discharge. Pneumatic, electric and hydraulic actuation available to automate processes.
- Instrumentation and pumps: pH and ORP sensors, flow and level measurement, and metering, centrifugal, and peristaltic pumps sized to each feed system.
Consult your Harrington representative for specific certification requirements.
Why Partner with Harrington?
Harrington delivers dependable water and wastewater solutions built for performance, reliability, safety, and compliance. From corrosion-resistant piping and valves to automation support, containment systems, and technical guidance, our team helps customers reduce risk, support sustainable practices, and keep critical systems operating with confidence.
Project Support Process
- Requirements Review. Provide the process zone, chemical and concentration, temperature, pressure, and potable contact requirements for each line.
- Engineering Evaluation. Our specialists confirm material and seal compatibility, verify NSF-61 requirements, and configure valve, pump, and instrumentation packages.
- Coordinated Supply And Support. We deliver from national inventory with offsite manufacturing, prefabrication, and field support aligned to your construction schedule.
Water Treatment Piping FAQs
What is NSF-61 certification, and when is it required?
NSF/ANSI 61 certifies that a product will not leach harmful contaminants into drinking water. It is required for any component in contact with potable water, and municipal specifications typically call for it by name. Certification is product-specific and held by the manufacturer, so the listing should be verified for the exact pipe, fitting, or valve supplied.
What plastic pipe is used in water treatment plants?
PVC Schedule 40 and 80 covers most raw, filtered, and distribution service. CPVC handles elevated temperature and tighter chemical tolerances. PVDF and polypropylene are specified for aggressive chemical dosing lines. FRP serves large-diameter and structural applications such as aeration.
What pipe material is recommended for sodium hypochlorite service?
PVDF or CPVC. Sodium hypochlorite degrades standard PVC over time, particularly at higher concentrations and temperatures, making it one of the more common premature failure points in a treatment plant.
Why is thermoplastic pipe preferred over metal in water treatment applications?
Corrosion resistance is the primary factor. Chlorinated water and dosing chemicals attack metal, while thermoplastics resist them across decades of service. Thermoplastic also weighs less, installs faster, and requires less maintenance, reducing total cost of ownership over a 50-year asset life.
Connect with us today and put our water and wastewater expertise to work for your operation.
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