DIPRA Welcomes Florence, AL, to The Cast Iron Pipe Century Club

Club Honors the Strength, Resilience of Cast Iron Drinking Water Pipes

BIRMINGHAM, Ala., Aug. 13, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — The Ductile Iron Pipe Research Association (DIPRA) proudly welcomes the City of Florence, AL, to the Cast Iron Pipe Century Club (Century Club), which honors the strength and legacy of cast iron pipes.

“The forward-thinking engineers and city planners who first installed cast iron pipes in Florence, AL, more than 100 years ago are to be commended for selecting the best pipe available,” said DIPRA President David Cole. “The city’s modern-day Water Department should be applauded for their similar, long-term planning by investing in Ductile iron pipes, which are the most resilient and longest-lasting pipe available today. There are so many factors that go into the selection of drinking water pipes, but we know from credible research and development that Ductile iron is the best choice for both public and private utilities looking to guarantee long-term health and safety.”

The city of Florence originally installed a section of 6-inch, cast iron water main between 1880 and 1890, based on the Water Department of the city records. A portion of that pipe that runs underneath Wood Avenue remains in service today and is the section being inducted into The Century Club.

“This honor is not only a testament to the quality of materials that were once used but also to the current and past employees of our department,” said Water Department Manager Tad Cole. “The cast and Ductile iron pipelines serve as a distribution system to supply potable drinking water to our customers. The longevity of the two pipe products ensures that we can deliver clean, safe drinking water to our community for generations.”

The Cast Iron Pipe Century Club was organized in 1947 to publicly recognize water utilities with Cast Iron mains that have provided service for 100 years or more. There are more than 550 water utilities in the United States and 35 water utilities in Canada that are members of DIPRA’s Century Club. DIPRA also sponsors a Cast Iron Pipe Sesquicentennial Club, of which 27 utilities in the U.S. and five (5) in Canada, are known to have enjoyed cast iron pipelines in service for more than 150 years.

About DIPRA

Founded in 1915, the Ductile Iron Pipe Research Association (DIPRA) has served as a resource and technical advisor to the water industry. DIPRA also provides representation on standards-making committees as well as technical research on a variety of applications-based topics. While DIPRA member companies have different names and locations, they share a common commitment to produce and deliver the finest quality water and wastewater pipe material in the world, Ductile Iron Pipe, and at the greatest possible value to its purchasers.

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SOURCE Ductile Iron Pipe Research Association (DIPRA)