For the first time in the Netherlands, a water pipe made from biological raw materials is going into the ground. Oirschot has the scoop. The water pipe works exactly the same as a PVC one, but it is made from a combination of old frying fat, wood pulp and sugar cane residues. “And no, the water will not taste like deep-frying,” says Brabant Water.
The water company is installing the ‘biobased’ water pipeline for a new housing estate in Oirschot. Chemically speaking, the water pipe of biological origin corresponds exactly to a standard PVC pipe.
According to Brabant Water, the new pipe is much more sustainable: it saves up to 90 percent CO2 emissions compared to the plastic that is still used everywhere.
Greening
In its own words, Brabant Water wants to ‘clear the way for the greening of the drinking water supply network’. The management meets strict requirements. It does not release substances to the water that flows through it, nor does it absorb substances from the surrounding soil.
The only drawback is that this ‘green’ water pipe is not yet widely available and is therefore more expensive. Supplier Pipelife expects prices to fall as demand increases. Then the market for these types of materials can develop quickly, according to the company.