HDPE Training Program Builds Leak-Free Water Infrastructure Nationwide

The Fusion/Electrofusion of HDPE Water Piping Systems Program, sponsored by the Municipal Advisory Board (MAB) of the Plastics Pipe Institute, is transforming water infrastructure across the United States by training utility professionals in advanced piping techniques. This industry training program teaches technicians, operators, inspectors, and engineers the proper methods for fusion and electrofusion of high-density polyethylene (HDPE) piping systems, creating seamless, leak-free connections that eliminate water loss due to pipeline leaks and corrosion. Since its inception in 2021, the program has graduated nearly 150 professionals from 22 cities nationwide, with sessions now held four times annually at Northeast Wisconsin Technical College in Green Bay, Wisconsin, led by expert instructors with decades of experience.

Key players include Camille George Rubeiz, P.E., co-chair of the MAB and vice president for PPI's Municipal & Industrial Division, who emphasizes that HDPE piping systems offer municipalities significant advantages over aging traditional infrastructure. The corrosion-proof material eliminates rust-related failures, while heat-fused connections prevent loss of non-revenue water—treated water that escapes before reaching customers. The program has expanded to include college students like Carly Wilkerson, a Purdue University construction engineering student who praised the hands-on training approach. During the 11th training class in summer 2025, Green Bay Mayor Eric Genrich received a certificate of appreciation for the city's support of workforce development programs that serve water utility professionals nationwide.

Participants consistently praise the program's quality, citing "hands-on training with instructors who have 25+ years of experience" and noting the curriculum is "informational and fun at the same time." The MAB and its members continue this initiative to save communities water, reduce water main breaks, add skills to grow the local workforce, and build resilient water systems. Utility operators, inspectors, and engineers interested in the 2026 training schedule can find additional information at www.plasticpipe.org/mabpubs or by contacting crubeiz@plasticpipe.org, where they can access technical information, field reports, and expertise from cities across the country to help design and install sustainable HDPE water piping systems.