| Cast iron pipes – Used during the late 19th and early 20th centuries | 120 years |
| Iron pipes – Introduced in the 1920s and thinner than cast iron pipes | 100 years |
| Ductile iron pipes - In use beginning in the 1950s | 100 years |
| Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) - Popular in the 1970s | 70 years |
| High-density Polyethylene – Popular since 1990s | 70 years |
A water treatment plant has a life span between 25 and 50 years - U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Sources: American Water Works Association, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, American Water Works Service Company