Council approves adding Munisipex to water standards; staff cites cost savings and field trial

The council voted to update the city's water material standards to add Munisipex (a PEX product) as an approved service tubing option and to encourage stainless‑steel fittings instead of brass. The change amends detail sheets used by contractors and will be incorporated into the standards and specifications document managed by public works staff.

Corey (Water Department) told the council staff had conducted a local, small‑scale trial and other utilities' experience research. "Copper's got very expensive. It's up to about $14.60 a foot, and we can buy this stuff for about 96¢ a foot," Corey said, explaining a major cost differential. He described a two‑year local trial in a high‑pressure application that had no failures and noted the product carries a 25‑year warranty. Corey also explained staff had equipped maintenance trucks with stainless fittings and recommended contractors use stainless where fittings are needed to avoid past brass‑fitting failures.

Council members asked about cold‑soil, seismic, and failure modes; Corey said the material's overlap construction can recover from kinks and that municipalities with multi‑year experience reported acceptable performance. A motion to approve the proposed standard changes passed by voice vote; staff said Arthur will update the red‑line version in the packet and republish the approved standards on the city website.

Council emphasized caution about adopting new materials only after local testing; staff said the proposed approach adds Munisipex as an allowed option (not an exclusive replacement for copper) and preserves engineering oversight on installations.