Water Distribution Products
Water, water everywhere; how does it get to your sink? Water sources and distribution methods vary around the world, but some systems are more successful at delivering pure water from the tap than others. One such success story occurs in Aruba. Their water has been acknowledged as one of the world’s best, and they count on Traeger Brothers for their water distribution products.
 

Whatever your source is; rainfall, desalinization or groundwater, you must move your water supply from its source to the end user in a safe and efficient manner. Water distribution products encompass all of the components that are required to get your water from there to here.

Pipe
Many different piping materials are utilized for water transport. Each material has advantages and disadvantages, and it is up to the water distribution engineer to decide which system works best in each application. Here are a few that Traeger Brothers can supply:

Ductile Iron is a traditional choice which has served well for decades. DI pipe connections are simple and the material is strong. For more information see www.dipra.org.

PVC-C900 is a popular medium to large diameter solution for water mains. C-900 is relatively lightweight and durable when installed properly. For potable water these pipes are colored blue. See the Freedom Plastic site for more info: www.freedomplastic.com

PVC- Schedule 40 and Schedule 80 are popular small diameter solutions for the pipe run from the water main to the end user. It is also popular for inside plumbing applications. These can be joined by threaded joints or with solvent based primers and glues. 

CPVC - Chlorinated Poly (Vinyl Chloride) is similar in design and construction to PVC.

HDPE High Density Polyethylene pipe is available in a range of sizes and is becoming more popular for long piping runs. Joints of this pipe are connected through electro-fusion, requiring the use of a heat generating cutting and joining machine, as well as special care to insure cleanliness of the connection. Check the Isco site for more info: www.isco-pipe.com

PE is Polyethylene pipe, available in rolls and used mostly for small diameter runs. Check this resource for more details: www.ppfahome.org

PEX (or crosslinked polyethylene) is small diameter flexible tubing that is connected with crimped-on fittings. Fewer fittings are required due to the flexibility of this product. Find out more about PEX here: www.pexinfo.com. 

FRP (Fiberglass reinforced pipe) or filament wound fiberglass pipe products are available in a variety of sizes and constructions. Used commonly in desalinization systems due to its high resistance to concentrated brine, it is a strong and lightweight solution in many industrial applications. See Smith Fibercast’s website for more info.

Copper pipe is a traditional high quality solution to small diameter installations, and the one preferred by our Aruba water distribution customer. This product excels in many areas but can be impacted by fluctuations in copper commodity pricing. Click Here  for more copper tubing water distribution information.

Galvanized steel pipe is an economical solution but can be affected by corrosion in some applications.

Cement lined steel pipe is an AWWA approved solution for large diameter water mains and high pressure force mains.  

Fittings for Water Distribution
Each type of pipe will utilize different styles of fittings depending on standards of construction. We can supply all of the common elbows, tees, unions, couplings and the like for each of the pipe materials listed above. In addition to pipe fittings, we can also offer more specialized products.  

Water Main Products
These items are utilized in the main water lines, pump houses and other parts of the distribution system as the water moves from its source to its position in the end user’s street.  

Water Treatment Equipment and Chemicals
The purifying and treatment process can utilize many products that Traeger can help with, including dosing (metering) pumps, injectors, stirring motors and poly tanks. Several of the filtration manufacturers distribute through Traeger Brothers, and we have access to some of the RO filtration suppliers. We also have sources for the variety of chemicals utilized in the treatment process, including alum, limestone, caustic soda, citrus based de-chlorinator, calcium hypochlorite and others. We stock 316 stainless steel tubing and tube fittings to plumb your instrumentation system, and can supply pressure gauges and flow meters as well.

Valves
A wide variety of water valves are utilized in the distribution scheme. These can include large diameter butterfly valves, resilient wedge lined gate valves, pressure reducing valves, altitude adjusting valves, air relief valves, backflow preventers, check valves, silent check valves, hydrants, fire hydrants, control valves, level control valves, balancing valves and more. Check out Cla-Val’s website for their engineered valves.

Low Lead NSF 61 Ball Valves
Traeger Brothers proudly represents Kitz valves. Kitz’s now offers a low-lead brass ball valve with a stainless ball that is NSF 61 certified. This is a perfect solution for the small brass ball valves required by water distribution managers. 

Valves For Production
Don’t forget that Traeger stocks cast and forged carbon and stainless steel gate, globe, check and ball valves, as well as iron butterfly and silent check valves in our Miami warehouse. Kitz also has a line of brass and iron commercial valves. See the details on our valves products page.

Saddles
When a new connection from the water main to the end user’s location is called for, the standard method is to clamp a brass or stainless saddle around the water main, and utilize a drilling machine to hot tap the pressurized pipe and install a valve into the saddle’s outlet. This valve is called the corporation stop. A supply pipe is then connected to that valve for the run to the meter box. Saddles are available with brass or iron bodies, and steel, brass or stainless bails or bands, depending on the application. Saddles or tapping sleeves can also be used to install air relief valves. Ford Meter Box www.fordmeterbox.com is our approved manufacturer for these products.

Corporation Stop
Corp stops are installed at the tap into the water main. Their thread pattern must be matched to the tapping saddle on one end, and have the proper supply pipe connection on the other end. The connection for the supply pipe can be a push in type quick connection, a pack joint or threaded. 

Curb Stop
Curb stops are used as water cutoff valves at the street or curb, between the corporation stop at the main and the entrance to the customer’s location. These can be used where there are multiple metered accounts inside one facility.

Curb Boxes
Curb boxes allow easy access to valves buried under the street or sidewalk, enabling control of water flow to the customer without delay. Most popular diameters are 5-1/4” (for larger gate valves) and 2-1/2” (for curb stops).  

Meter Box
Many different varieties of meter boxes are used worldwide, and in some applications meter boxes are not used at all. In the US Virgin Islands, a pvc water supply line is used to bring potable water from the corporation stop at the main to the water meter box for the end users property. This meter box provides a safe and secure mounting location for the water meter, which is the cash register of the water utility for that customer.

The standard meter box for the USVI includes a ball valve at the entrance – this serves the same purpose as the curb stop previously mentioned and allows the water service to that client to be cut off and the meter removed if required. Meter installation and removal requires no tools in this design, and security is maintained by the locking lid. Other features include a double check valve at the exit of the box, to prevent potentially contaminated water from entering the water distribution system from the customer’s lines or cistern. VIWAPA meter box specs also include a plastic lid to enhance the radio transmitters range for their remote meter reading system.

Other systems use hard connections for their meters, and either leave the meter exposed above ground or enclose it in a semi-buried fiberglass box. These systems are more economical but lose some of the safety and security aspects of the cast iron box design.

Brass Couplings
Brass couplings are the connectors used to unite sections of small diameter piping for the client’s water supply. They can be straight, tees, 90° or 45° elbows with a variety of end connections to fit almost any type of small diameter pipe.

Repair Clamps
Repair clamps can be used for temporary or semi permanent repairs to pipes from ½” through 36” in all pipe sizes and materials. They can stop a leak from a pinhole or crack to larger holes depending on the pressure and other parameters. To install, just wrap around and clamp down. Ford’s all stainless FS1 style are our best sellers. 

Cast Steel Couplings
Cast steel couplings have a variety of uses in the 2” – 24” water supply piping application. They can be used to join two pieces of pipe; even if the pipes are two different types and/or sizes. They can be used to make repairs where the pipe has split in two. If a pipe needs to be cut to install a valve in line, couplings can be used to re-connect the pipe after installation. Couplings can also be used to correct mis-aligned pipe. With Ford’s Ultra-Flex wide range coupling, one coupling can be used to repair pipes with more than a one inch range of outside diameters, allowing a few couplings to serve a wide range of applications. Other specialized couplings include reducing couplings, flanged adapter couplings, cut-in couplings and end cap couplings for end-of-line use. 

Ductile Iron Mechanical Joint Fittings
Mechanical Joints are the most common way of connecting valves and fittings to larger diameter water distribution pipe. These work equally well for ductile iron and pvc C-900 applications. The fittings have a type of flange cast into their connecting ends, which mates up to either another MJ fitting or a MJ adapter. The second part of this type of connection is the rubber gasket or gland that seals the outside wall of the pipe end to the inside wall of the fitting. When making a connection to a pipe end, a ductile iron retainer is clamped to the pipe end, with the gland squeezed in between the retainer and the MJ flange. We offer products of Star Pipe.

Restraints
Pipe restraints are required whenever a water line encounters an obstruction or change in pressure that can cause the bell and spigot connections to separate. A traditional method of restraining has been poured concrete; a “thrust block” framed and poured full of cement to physically hold each connection together and to the ground. This method can be expensive in terms of time delays of manpower, crews and road re-openings as well as in material costs. An alternative is a mechanical restraint formed by an iron clamp on the pipe end and an iron ring behind the pipe’s bell, connected by steel threaded tie rods. This method is a fast and effective means to build required restraints into the distribution system. Ford’s line of pipe restraints are called Uni-Flange, and features thrust restraints and flange adapters in sizes from 2 to 48 inch that can handle pressure up to 400 psi. 

Security
Traeger Brothers has partnered with McGard Security to provide products to help utilities protect their assets and secure their revenues. Their line includes locks for fire hydrants, meter boxes, curb stops, water meters, manholes and curb boxes. 

Tools
Traeger Brothers is a distributor for Reed Manufacturing, whose line includes a variety of tools for working with plastic and iron pipe. Water distribution system maintenance shops will require drilling and tapping machines, pneumatic hacksaws, shut-off tools and more. 

Meter Test Benches
Meter test benches allow the testing and calibration of multiple water meters in a controlled setting. Water meters are your cash register; make sure they are measuring every drop of your product! 

Water Meters
Traeger Brothers would be pleased to make an offer on the water meters you may require for residential, commercial or master metering applications. Displacement, velocity or electromagnetic styles are available. Multi-jet, turbine, displacement or mag types can be supplied, depending on your application or preference. Depending on your location, we can offer meters from Sensus, Elster or other quality suppliers.  

Accessories
A complete water line installation requires additional products, and Traeger Brothers can supply those as well. Teflon tape and PVC pipe wrap tape are both available through our partner AA Pipe seal. Pipe tracing tape and wire, along with caution tape will help you finish the trench before you backfill it.

Whatever you require to move, treat, pump, control or deliver potable water from it’s source to the tap, Traeger Brothers can help. Give your salesperson a call for fair pricing on quality products today.