Improving plastic pipes in water networks helps utilities meet their performance, safety, and sustainability goals.
If infrastructure is judged by what it prevents, plastic pipes may be among the most underappreciated assets in the Australian water sector. Their performance is silent, consistent and, when done right, largely invisible. Yet this invisibility is part of the challenge. The role that plastic pipe systems play in delivering safe, efficient and sustainable water services is often overlooked by those not directly involved in their manufacture, specification or installation.
At the forefront of changing that narrative is the Plastics Industry Pipe Association of Australia (PIPA). As Executive General Manager, Cindy Bray explained, PIPA’s work centres on four strategic pillars – advocate, educate, technical and sustainability – and aims to connect the industry’s engineering precision with long-term public benefit.
“Everything we do links back to our mission to protect water and resources while reducing our global footprint,” Bray said. “That means helping the industry design, manufacture and install plastic pipes in ways that are safe, durable and capable of achieving a 100-year lifespan.”
Industry leadership and engineered integrity
Despite being highly engineered products, plastic pipes are often misunderstood. For Bray, one of the most pressing challenges is the over-simplification, and sometimes politicisation, of plastics in policy and public discussion.
“People tend to group all plastics; however, they are not all the same. Plastic pipes are made from engineered plastics, designed for long-term service, not just any plastic,” Bray said. “There’s a misconception that you can put recycled plastic into plastic pipes and get the same performance. That’s not the case.”
PIPA’s response has been twofold: Technical leadership and active communication. Recent campaigns, such as “Using Plastics for Good,” were designed to build awareness among the public, while continued engagement with regulators and utilities helps keep standards current and application-specific. PIPA also works internationally, bringing global insights into local conversations.
“Our role is to ensure everyone, from asset managers to engineers, understands that these systems are built for longevity,” Bray said. “That includes making sure our standards, guidelines and collaborations reflect what’s happening on the ground and around the world.”
This industry-wide commitment extends to public education, where PIPA continues to bridge the gap between infrastructure function and community understanding.
“Most people don’t think about the role plastic pipes play until -until they stop delivering the services we rely on every day they deliver,” Bray said. “Our job is to keep that conversation going long before that point.”
Stewardship beyond the surface
PIPA is also a leader in stewardship. It supports material recovery, waste minimisation, and the responsible use of recycled content, especially in non-pressure applications.
“Industry has been proactive for years about showing the sustainable benefits of plastic pipe systems,” Bray said. “ Our PVC pipe and fitting manufacturers participate in the Vinyl Council’s product stewardship program. We also operate a national recycling program with designated drop-off points for offcuts and end-of-life pipes, with manufacturers actively partnering with end-users to support responsible disposal. A broader stewardship framework is currently being developed through the Product Stewardship Centre of Excellence, to extend responsibility across the plastic pipe supply chain.
Yet Bray is quick to note that true circular economy thinking goes beyond recycling.
“We often focus too much on recycled content when in fact, circularity begins with longevity,” she said. “Our pipes are still in their first life cycle. They’re designed to last well over 100 years. If they’re installed correctly, they could continue long past that.”
That long-term durability underpins many of PIPA’s educational efforts, including research into life cycle performance and environmental product declarations.
“We’re here to provide evidence, not just opinion,” Bray said. “We want water authorities to make informed decisions with full visibility of environmental impacts.”
Fit-for-purpose thinking
PIPA works closely with utilities, engineers, and councils to support what it calls “fit-for-purpose” material selection, helping decision-makers match product performance with real-world risks, expected lifespan, and value.
“We’ve done a lot of work with individual utilities and with the Water Services Association of Australia (WSAA) to support guideline development and update standards,” Bray said.
“When an issue arises or a question comes up, they know they can come to us. We’re here to collaborate, not just consult.”
This philosophy also informs PIPA’s position on the use of recycled content in pressure pipelines. While non-pressure systems can utilise recycled materials, pressure pipes are subject to strict performance standards and are made exclusively from virgin or reworked internal materials.
“Pressure pipes play a critical role. They operate under a range of demanding operating conditions. We don’t permit recycled content in those applications because the performance has to be precise and robust, and that comes from consistent material quality.”
PIPA also provides hands-on guidance through updates to product and installation standards, helping utilities and specifiers reduce life cycle risk. “Getting it right from the start saves costs, emissions and headaches later,” Bray said. “That’s why fit-for-purpose design and installation matter so much.”
Looking to the future
Innovation in resins, pipe design and trenchless technologies is creating new pathways for sustainability, even when recycled content isn’t the central lever. Bray noted growing interest in bio-based resins.
“We’re starting to see more innovation in how assets are maintained with the continued development of pipeline monitoring systems. If we can improve the monitoring of pipeline systems as they age, we gain the ability to understand the true expected service life of the pipeline, potentially extending the asset’s life.
“Manufacturing technology is also evolving. When I started, people were manually measuring pipes. Now, there are in-line sensors that continuously measure the pipe wall thickness and diameter as it is being extruded. Energy efficiency improvements have also been made in manufacturing, resulting in reduced energy requirements for converting materials into pipes.
Add to this the increasing potential of artificial intelligence (AI), remote diagnostics and digital twins. The future of asset management looks both smarter and more resilient. For Bray, that’s precisely where the industry needs to go.
“The longer we can keep assets performing without replacement, the stronger our sustainability credentials become,” she said. “And that begins with how we design and install them today.”
That mix of innovation, product development, and education is part of PIPA’s long game: equipping the water sector with the knowledge and confidence to use plastic pipe systems that offer measurable benefits over time.
“We’re big advocates for environmental product declarations and life cycle assessments,” Bray said. “Our members are transparent about what their products do over time. That’s what supports informed decision-making.”
Bray’s final message to utilities and consultants is as clear as the standards PIPA helps maintain.
“It’s simple. To achieve a 100-year-plus asset life, you need to select the right product, design it properly and install it correctly, meeting all the requirements of our Australian Standards,” she said. “We want to see Australia’s infrastructure built to last. If you have any questions, please come to us. That’s what we’re here for.”
For more information, visit pipa.com.au