Why not simply require distribution operators to replace old, risky pipe?
It is difficult to determine, on a general basis, what types of pipe pose the greatest risk. Older pipe has been exposed to environmental and service conditions for longer and it would seem logical that this would have led to more degradation, but much older pipe operates safely and has not been involved in accidents. At the same time, some newer pipe, including particular kinds of plastic pipe, has proven problematic in service and has been involved in accidents. State regulators often have required distribution operators to implement pipe replacement programs, but these have been targeted to specific problematic pipe based on the local circumstances facing particular operators. A general requirement to replace entire pipe in distribution pipeline systems after it has served for a given number of years would be very costly and would not necessarily produce an improvement in safety. Such a requirement would miss, and could distract operators from dealing with, material problems that ma
