Field pressure testing ensures that PVC pipes do not leak

DPI Plastics has developed a ‘how to’ guide on field pressure testing to ensure that the integrity of a pipeline is not compromised. A field pressure test is used to test the integrity of pipe joints completed on site. This test is covered by the SANS 2001:DP2 – Medium pressure pipelines standard, explains Renier Snyman, technical and product manager at DPI Plastics. Modern plastic pipes are manufactured under controlled conditions, with hydrostatic pressure testing of pipes and joints to confirm minimum performance requirements. “However, when the pipe is laid on-site, the jointing quality and method is outside the control of the manufacturer,” Snyman highlights. Field pressure testing establishes that the pipeline does not leak. The test pressure is raised above the operating pressure of the pipeline to allow the pipeline to settle under that pressure and to highlight possible leaks that would otherwise only develop after some time under pressure.