PVC electrical conduit, useable for potable water?

[bentov]

I have 7200' of 2" SCH40 PVC conduit bought cheap, new/old stock, kind of sunburned from sitting around but not brittle. I also need to install around 2,000 feet of 2" PVC water line on my business property - I didn't buy the conduit for this purpose (will used it eventually on electrical projects) but it would certainly be the cheapest thing for my water lines, can leak test & chlorinate/disinfect the system when completed. Is gray PVC electrical conduit OK for potable water?

 

[Montemayor]

bentov:

You state you have 7,200 ft of PVC conduit on hand; you fail to state the lineage you need. Is it also 7,200 ft? I doubt it. More importantly, I consider good, potable-rated PVC piping one of the lowest material costs involved in a drinking water pipe installation. I don't see a practical reason for not doing the installation the "right" way: buy the appropriate PVC for the installation. Your supposed "savings" are only = (cost of new, correct PVC - cost of existing PVC conduit). So you don't really save the 100% PVC quantity needed.

Additionally, you don't mention your site or location. I foresee rough local water piping code violations are are a strong posibility. Getting a clean bill of goods on what you have previously purchased as PVC conduit may be next to impossible and could easily prevent you from using it for potable water. You may be willing to drink water out of it; however, I and others wouldn't do it without knowledge that it is according to local drinking water codes and has been approved.

If you can't get local code approval, I urge you to abandon the idea.

 

[pennpoint]

bentov
I'm with "Montemayor" on this.
Naw!! I would not even think of doing it. Your conduit is rated for a diffrent service. PVC water pipe in many locals is not permissible even for potable water, they specify copper or other. Check the code, don't go cheap. You might get by but somone may have to pay to replace.(IMHO)

Best Regards
pennpoint

 

[hydrae]

Your plumbing code may specificly require a NSF PW,14, or 61 stamp on the pipe, and that will not be on the conduit. This testing is to ensure the PVC materails that leach into the water are not harmful, there is also a difference in the feel of pipe vs conduit, pipe will have a slight gazing where the conduit can feel like 1200 grit sand paper. Not a risk I would take with an item to be consumed.
Hydrae