H₂O

Water

Corzan® CPVC is resistant to the reactivity of all water types. The compound works well with water because it:

Is certified as non-leaching and safe for potable water per NSF 61 standards.
Is certified and complies with NSF/ANSI Standard 14: Plastic Piping System Components and Related Materials.
Will not corrode or show signs of wearing.
Has a large working temperature range.
Is suitable for interior and exterior installation, both above and below ground.
Can be joined by a variety of methods to simplify installation.
Is plenum-rated.

The Drawbacks of Other Materials Handling Water

Metals: Metal piping materials like carbon steel and copper are vulnerable to leaching. Copper, for example, is vulnerable to water with a pH below 6.5, as the “soft” water lacks minerals, making it more aggressive toward unlined metal. Corrosion control may be required to limit the leaching of metal molecules into the supply, and pitting and scaling are still high risks. Because of this susceptibility, metal piping materials are not recommended when purity is a priority.

PEX (cross-linked polyethylene): Some PEX brands do not have NSF 61 ratings in all water conditions and temperatures, including elevated temperatures. PEX also must have added antioxidants to resist the chemicals used to treat potable water. These antioxidants are stripped over time, weakening the pipe and requiring replacement.

HDPE (High-density polyethylene): While HDPE has excellent chemical resistance, it also has low relative stiffness and a significantly higher thermal expansion coefficient compared to other plastics. It also must be heat fused together which involves expensive and additional equipment.

PVDF (polyvinylidene fluoride) and PVDF lined pipes: Additives ensure non-leaching properties, but PVDF is costly to purchase and maintain.

PP (polypropylene) and PP-R (polypropylene random co-polymer): While PP and PP-R avoid beading and crevices for ultra-pure applications, special fusion equipment is needed. Like PEX, the antioxidants in PP-R strip off into the water and cannot be replaced once stripped.

PVC (polyvinyl chloride): PVC is impervious to corrosion and leaching. However, it does not maintain its physical properties when exposed to elevated fluid or atmospheric temperatures. It also often has a lower lifecycle, even at low temperatures, compared to CPVC.

Types of Water

Deionized/Demineralized Water

Deionized water has passed through two special ion-exchange resins to remove all positive cations (like magnesium) and negative anions (like chloride) removed. This process yields super-pure water with a neutral pH, ideally no dissolved solids and high resistivity.

Common Uses of Deionized Water

Deionized/Demineralized water is an important part of boilers (feedwater), as a solvent in pharmaceuticals, super-pure wash water in semiconductors and automotive parts, hydronics, equipment sterilization and process water for multiple industries that include food and beverage, power generation, chlor-alkali, semiconductor, water treatment, oil/gas and mining.

Reverse Osmosis

Reverse-osmosis (RO) removes dissolved/suspended chemical and biological species from water by pushing water through semipermeable membranes, overcoming osmotic pressure. RO is important in different industries and in producing potable water.

Common Uses of RO Water

RO water is an important part of boilers (feedwater), as a solvent in pharmaceuticals, super-pure wash water in semiconductors and automotive parts, hydronics, equipment sterilization and process water for multiple industries that include food and beverage, power generation, chlor-alkali, semiconductor, water treatment, oil/gas and mining.

Distilled Water

When water is heated, turns to vapor, is cooled and then condensed into water again, it is considered distilled water. This process removes minerals and impurities, which have higher boiling points than water.

Common Uses of Distilled Water

Distilled water is essential in cases where mineral deposits can build up or cause corrosion, like the production of lead-acid batteries and sterilizing medical tools and equipment like CPAP machines. It is also important in cosmetics that must be free of microbes and toxins.

Ultra-Pure Water (Type 1 per ASTM D1193-06)

As the name suggests, ultra-pure water is the very purest water, having undergone treatment to remove any possible contaminant including both inorganic and organic compounds, dissolved particles and gasses and more. A human could die from consuming ultra-pure water.

Common Uses of Ultra-Pure (Type 1) Water

The chemical processing, semiconductor and pharmaceutical industries require lab-grade water to produce sound results. Other uses of ultra-pure water include high-performance liquid chromatography, some tasks in molecular biology and most laboratory processes.

Ozonated Water

Ozonated water has been sterilized and purified by oxidization with O3 molecules. The process uses UV radiation and is an environmentally friendly form of disinfection.

Common Uses of Ozonated Water

Ozonated water kills microbes as effectively as chlorine and has therefore risen in popularity in water treatment, including aquaculture and waterparks. Runoff water is very clean and doesn’t contain harsh chlorine.

Potable Water

Potable water is treated water that meets governing body-established standards for safe human consumption. Piping that carries potable water in the United States must meet NSF 61 standards for safety.

Common Uses of Potable Water

Besides its use as drinking and cooking water, potable water is important for tap water (showers, baths, sinks, washing machines), recreation and irrigating farms.

Chlorinated Water

Chlorinated water is water containing either chlorine (Cl) or chlorine compounds (NaOCl). Chlorinating water kills the germs responsible for waterborne illnesses.

Common Uses of Chlorinated Water

Chlorine is most commonly added to potable water for disinfection purposes to stop the spread of illnesses like typhus. It is an essential chemical in sanitation and industrial waste processing. It is also used in swimming pool water.

Saltwater/Seawater/Brine

Sometimes called saline water, saltwater usually refers to seawater or ocean water. Saltwater is much denser than fresh water. Corzan CPVC is often a default choice for saltwater or brine due to it’s long-standing history of being able to reliably handle and work well with all types of water. Learn more about sodium chloride and Corzan CPVC.

Common Uses of Saltwater

Saltwater is very important to the production of thousands of commodity products like rubber, glass and textiles. But the chemical processing industry uses more salt water than almost any other industry, as more than half of chemical products produced need salt for synthesis.

Explore More Chemicals

For long-term system reliability, it is critical to choose a material that resists corrosion. Corzan CPVC effectively stands up to most acids, bases and salts and is innately resistant to corrosive chemicals, including the 10 commonly used chemicals that can degrade and reduce the service life of many metals.

NaClO Sodium Hypochlorite

H₂SO₄ Sulfuric Acid

HCl Hydrochloric Acid

NaOH Sodium Hydroxide

NaCl Sodium Chloride

H₃PO₄ Phosphoric Acid

ClO₂ Chlorine Dioxide

HNO₃ Nitric Acid

H₂O₂ Hydrogen Peroxide

H₂O Water