AWWA C604 : 2024

This standard provides the field installation guidelines for buried steel water pipe, 4 in. (100 mm) and larger. The information contained in this standard is intended to be used as a guide to assist in the installation of steel water pipe.

1.1.1 Conditions that may require additional considerations. Installations that require special attention, techniques, and materials are not covered by this standard. Some of these installations are:
1. Piping through rigid walls or structures.
2. Connections to appurtenances.
3. Piping on supports or on piles aboveground or belowground.
4. Piping subject to significant thermal stresses.
5. Treatment plant or pump-station piping.
6. Industrial piping.
7. Piping in seismic areas.
8. Piping in high-density, stray-current environments.
9. Piping through unstable soils or soils subject to sliding or soil drag.
10. Piping subject to excessive live loads.
11. Piping with cover less than 3 ft. (900 mm).
12. Piping installed by horizontal directional drilling (HDD).
13. Piping installed by jacking.
14. Piping whereby differential settlement between structure and pipe is expected.

This standard is intended to cover typical pipeline construction practices that are deemed adequate for the satisfactory installation of buried steel water pipelines. Individual project requirements may vary substantially and should always be thoroughly reviewed before bidding or construction startup. For this reason, some practices discussed in this standard may not be suitable for all project conditions, and in some cases, specialized installation techniques may be required that are beyond the scope of this standard.