Plastic or aluminized metal for Hall County?

GAINESVILLE - Hall County's public works director wants a change in county-owned and maintained culverts and storm sewers that he says will save thousands of dollars.

Ken Reardon first asked the Commission to consider a resolution that would use culverts and storm sewers made of polyethylene (HDPE) pipe in a resolution presented for first reading early in January.

"The old standard was galvanized metal pipe and we've got thousands of linear feet of galvanized pipe in the ground," according to Reardon. "With the soil conditions here in Hall County galvanized rusts. We took a stab at eliminating all metal pipe and pipe manufacturers came and talked to the commissioners."

The metal pipe representatives asked commissioners to take another look at it. Reardon said that led to a meeting with the pipe producers.

"They said they now make an aluminized metal pipe that looks like it will meet our standards so on February 23rd we will be presenting a new ordinance change," Reardon said.

Reardon initially told commissioners that over the years the plastic pipe would last much longer than galvanized metal and save the county material and installation cost, but he believes the aluminized metal would be cheaper, depending on size.

"We think it will be," he said. " A 12-inch plastic might be cheaper than a 12-inch aluminized but a 24- inch aluminized I think would be the better value for the county. If you have a pipe that you have to replace in 20 years versus one that you replace in 50 years you've got a better value even if you pay a little more up front for the capital cost of the pipe itself."