Cathodic protection in the water utility industry

Corrosion of metallic pipelines is a significant source of failures and a financial burden to drinking water utilities. Cathodic protection (CP) has been a recognized technology for buried metallic pipelines for decades but has not been widely used in the water industry. Some water utilities have been exploring a variety of techniques to fight external corrosion and to preserve the value of their buried assets. However, a standardized and defensible approach does not exist. The effectiveness of a CP program may be measured by reduction in breakage rates. Where water utilities do not have specific data on before and after CP breakage rates, case studies from other water utilities with similar pipe inventories and operational conditions may be used to make wise CP decisions.