Gwinnett County Proposes Changes to Stormwater Pipe Standards: Public Hearing on July 26th before Stormwater Authority

What is old is new again in Gwinnett County, as the Council for Quality Growth finds itself yet again protecting the interests of Council Members, only a decade after addressing the first of major changes to pipe standards, the fourth time since 2001.

A brief history of the pipe negotiations in Gwinnett County:

  • In 2001, the industry agreed to eliminate 2 ounce galvanized pipe and replaced it with Type 2 aluminized corrugated steel pipe;
  • In 2006, the county asked the industry to provide a product that offered a 100 year service life and again the industry conceded by moving from an aluminized 16 gage Type 2 to a minimum 14 gage Type 2 aluminized pipe;
  • In 2011, the issue resurfaced again and after educating officials on the issues that were prevalent still, from the previously addressed galvanized piping, the county appeared to let the current piping standards remain in place.

However, the Stormwater Management Division of the Department of Water Resources is now proposing drastic changes that would limit the use of aluminized pipe on the charge that it could potentially have the same issues and life as galvanized steel pipe and will increase restrictions on HDPE Pipe as well.

The Council has worked with members and Gwinnett County staff in order to present cost impact analysis on members, along with national research that concludes a minimum 100 year service life when used in the same applications and environmental conditions as those currently found in Gwinnett County.