Beruflich Dokumente
Kultur Dokumente
AWWA Standard
Reduced-Wall, Resilient-
Seated Gate Valves for
Water Supply Service
SM
Caution Notice: The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) approval date on the front cover of this standard indicates comple-
tion of the ANSI approval process. This American National Standard may be revised or withdrawn at any time. ANSI procedures
require that action be taken to reaffirm, revise, or withdraw this standard no later than five years from the date of publication.
Purchasers of American National Standards may receive current information on all standards by calling or writing the American
National Standards Institute, 25 West 43rd Street, Fourth Floor, New York, NY 10036; (212) 642-4900.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or
mechanical, including photocopy, recording, or any information or retrieval system, except in the form of brief excerpts or
quotations for review purposes, without the written permission of the publisher.
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Copyright © 2009 American Water Works Association. All Rights Reserved.
Committee Personnel
The AWWA Standards Committee on Taste and Odor Control Chemicals, which reviewed and
approved this standard, had the following personnel at the time of approval:
S.K. Batra, City of Detroit, Water & Sewerage Department, Detroit, Mich. (AWWA)
J. Bottenfield, Clow Valve Company, Oskaloosa, Iowa (AWWA)
M.H. Burns, One Bolt Inc., Denver, Colo. (AWWA)
L.R. Dunn, U.S. Pipe & Foundry Company, Birmingham, Ala. (AWWA)
L.W. Fleury Jr., Mueller Group, Smithfield, R.I. (AWWA)
S. Flora, M&H Valve Company, Anniston, Ala. (AWWA)
J.J. Gemin, Earth Tech (Canada) Inc., Kitchener, Ont. (AWWA)
T.R. Ingalls, East Jordan Iron Works Inc., East Jordan, Mich. (AWWA)
R.L. Larkin, American Flow Control, Birmingham, Ala. (AWWA)
R. Looney, American AVK Company, Minden, Nev. (AWWA)
T.J. Mettler, Waterous Company, South St. Paul, Minn. (AWWA)
K.J. Wright, East Jordan Iron Works, East Jordan, Mich. (AWWA)
The AWWA Standards Committee on Gate Valves and Swing Check Valves, which reviewed
and approved this standard, had the following personnel at the time of approval:
* Alternate
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Copyright © 2009 American Water Works Association. All Rights Reserved.
T.J. McCandless,* Standards Engineer Liaison, AWWA, Denver, Colo. (AWWA)
P.I. McGrath Jr., Birmingham, Ala. (AWWA)
T.R. Volz, URS Corporation, Denver, Colo. (AWWA)
Producer Members
J.V. Ballun, Val-Matic Valve & Manufacturing Corporaton, Elmhurst, Ill. (AWWA)
J. Bottenfield, Clow Valve Company, Oskaloosa, Iowa (MSS)
L.W. Fleury Jr., Mueller Group, Smithfield, R.I. (AWWA)
S. Flora,† M & H Valve Company, Anniston, Ala. (AWWA)
T.R. Ingalls,† East Jordan Iron Works Inc., East Jordan, Mich. (AWWA)
R.L. Larkin, American Flow Control, Birmingham, Ala. (AWWA)
R. Looney, American AVK Company, Minden, Nev. (AWWA)
T.J. Mettler,† Waterous Company, South St. Paul, Minn. (AWWA)
J.H. Wilber,† American AVK, Littleton, Colo. (AWWA)
K.J. Wright, East Jordan Iron Works, East Jordan, Mich. (AWWA)
User Members
* Liaison, nonvoting
† Alternate
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Copyright © 2009 American Water Works Association. All Rights Reserved.
Contents
All AWWA standards follow the general format indicated subsequently. Some variations from this
format may be found in a particular standard.
SEC. PAGE SEC. PAGE
Foreword 5 Verification
I Introduction................................... vii 5.1 Testing........................................... 19
I.A Background.................................... vii 5.2 Plant Inspection and Rejection....... 20
I.B History........................................... vii 6 Delivery
I.C Acceptance..................................... vii 6.1 Marking......................................... 21
II Special Issues................................... ix 6.2 Preparation for Shipment............... 21
III Use of This Standard....................... ix 6.3 Affidavit of Compliance................. 21
III.A Purchaser Options and Alternatives... ix
Appendix
III.B Modification to Standard................. x
A Installation, Operation, and
IV Major Revisions............................... x
Maintenance of Reduced-Wall,
V Comments....................................... x
Resilient-Seated Gate Valves
Standard A.1 General.......................................... 23
1 General A.2 Unloading...................................... 23
1.1 Scope............................................... 1 A.3 Receiving Inspection...................... 23
1.2 Purpose............................................ 2 A.4 Storage........................................... 24
1.3 Application...................................... 2 A.5 Installation..................................... 24
4 Requirements Tables
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Copyright © 2009 American Water Works Association. All Rights Reserved.
SEC. PAGE SEC. PAGE
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Copyright © 2009 American Water Works Association. All Rights Reserved.
Foreword
This foreword is for information only and is not a part of ANSI*/AWWA C515.
I. Introduction.
I.A. Background. This standard describes reduced-wall, resilient‑seated gate
valves with nonrising stems (NRS) and outside screw‑and‑yoke (OS&Y) rising stems,
including tapping gate valves, for water supply service. The standard applies to water
supply service having a pH range of 6.5 to 8.5 and a temperature range from 33° to
125°F (0.6° to 52°C).
I.B. History. The first edition of ANSI/AWWA C509 Standard for Resilient-
Seated Gate Valves was published in 1980. ANSI/AWWA C509 includes body and
bonnet parts of either gray or ductile cast iron with shell-wall thicknesses equal to
those of the ANSI/AWWA C500, Standard for Metal-Seated Gate Valves, which was
first issued in 1952 as ANSI/AWWA C500 but had its roots going back to the first
AWWA standard for gate valves, adopted June 24, 1913.
In 1993, the AWWA Standards Committee on Gate Valves and Swing Check
Valves received authorization from the AWWA Standards Council to prepare a standard
covering reduced-wall, resilient-seated gate valves. Just as other recent AWWA standards
have been developed as a result of the attendant strength of ductile iron (for pressure
pipe and compact fittings), this standard results from its application for gate valves.
The Manufacturer’s Standardization Society of the Valves and Fittings Industry
(MSS) has played an important role in developing this standard. Founded in 1924,
MSS has had official organizational representation on AWWA standards committees
dealing with valve and hydrant products since 1930.
This edition of ANSI/AWWA C515 was approved by the AWWA Board of Directors
on Jan. 25, 2009.
I.C. Acceptance. In May 1985, the United States Environmental Protection
Agency (USEPA) entered into a cooperative agreement with a consortium led by
NSF International (NSF) to develop voluntary third-party consensus standards and a
certification program for direct and indirect drinking water additives. Other members
of the original consortium included the American Water Works Association Research
* American National Standards Institute, 25 West 43rd Street, Fourth Floor, New York, NY
10036.
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Copyright © 2009 American Water Works Association. All Rights Reserved.
Foundation (AwwaRF) and the Conference of State Health and Environmental
Managers (COSHEM). The American Water Works Association (AWWA) and the
Association of State Drinking Water Administrators (ASDWA) joined later.
In the United States, authority to regulate products for use in, or in contact with,
drinking water rests with individual states.* Local agencies may choose to impose
requirements more stringent than those required by the state. To evaluate the health
effects of products and drinking water additives from such products, state and local
agencies may use various references, including
1. An advisory program formerly administered by USEPA, Office of Drinking
Water, discontinued on Apr. 7, 1990.
2. Specific policies of the state or local agency.
3. Two standards developed under the direction of NSF†, NSF/ANSI 60,
Drinking Water Treatment Chemicals—Health Effects, and NSF/ANSI 61, Drinking
Water System Components—Health Effects.
4. Other references, including AWWA standards, Food Chemicals Codex, Water
Chemicals Codex,‡ and other standards considered appropriate by the state or local
agency.
Various certification organizations may be involved in certifying products in
accordance with NSF/ANSI 61. Individual states or local agencies have authority to
accept or accredit certification organizations within their jurisdiction. Accreditation of
certification organizations may vary from jurisdiction to jurisdiction.
Annex A, “Toxicology Review and Evaluation Procedures,” to NSF/ANSI 61 does
not stipulate a maximum allowable level (MAL) of a contaminant for substances not
regulated by a USEPA final maximum contaminant level (MCL). The MALs of an
unspecified list of “unregulated contaminants” are based on toxicity testing guidelines
(noncarcinogens) and risk characterization methodology (carcinogens). Use of Annex A
procedures may not always be identical, depending on the certifier.
ANSI/AWWA C515 does not address additives requirements. Users of this standard
should consult the appropriate state or local agency having jurisdiction in order to
1. Determine additives requirements, including applicable standards.
2. Determine the status of certifications by parties offering to certify products
for contact with, or treatment of, drinking water.
* Persons outside the United States should contact the appropriate authority having jurisdiction.
† NSF International, 789 N. Dixboro Road, Ann Arbor, MI 48105.
‡ Both publications available from National Academy of Sciences, 500 Fifth Street NW,
Washington, DC 20001.
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Copyright © 2009 American Water Works Association. All Rights Reserved.
3. Determine current information on product certification.
II. Special Issues. This standard has no applicable information for this
section.
III. Use of This Standard. It is the responsibility of the user of an AWWA
standard to determine that the products described in that standard are suitable for use
in the particular application being considered.
III.A. Purchaser Options and Alternatives. The following items should be
provided by the purchaser:
1. Standard used—that is, ANSI/AWWA C515, Reduced-Wall, Resilient-Seated
Gate Valves for Water Supply Service, of latest revision.
2. Whether compliance with NSF/ANSI 61, Drinking Water System
Components—Health Effects, is required.
3. Whether or not the purchaser requires cast ferrous valve components to be
made of ductile iron.
4. Quantity required.
5. Special packaging for shipment as may be required for protection of
coatings.
6. Size and type of valve, NRS or OS&Y (Sec. 1.1).
7. Whether or not the valve will be used in a corrosive environment (Sec. 1.1.3)
determined by methods described in AWWA M27.
8. Catalog data, net weight, and assembly drawings to be provided by the man-
ufacturer (Sec. 4.1), if required.
9. Details of other federal, state or provincial, and local requirements
(Sec. 4.2).
10. Whether or not the valve will be subjected to water that reacts chemically
with materials used in these valves. Consultation with the manufacturer is advised to
determine the suitability in cases of doubt (Sec. 4.2.3.3.3).
11. Cutter diameter must be specified for tapping valves (Sec. 4.3.2).
Note: Tapping machine shell cutters are made in either full size (outside diameter
[OD] is full nominal size) or undersize (OD is less than full nominal size, i.e., usually
½ in. (13 mm) less [MSS* SP-113]). The purchaser should specify the size of the shell
cutter the valve must accept.
12. Type of valve ends—flanged (Sec. 4.4.1.4.1), tapping valve flange
* Manufacturers Standardization Society of the Valve and Fittings Industry, 127 Park Street NE,
Vienna, VA 22180.
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Copyright © 2009 American Water Works Association. All Rights Reserved.
(Sec. 4.4.1.4.4), mechanical joint (Sec. 4.4.1.4.2), or push‑on joint (Sec. 4.4.1.4.3).
13. Whether or not bolting material with physical and chemical properties other
than ASTM* A307 is required (Sec. 4.4.4). It is recommended that the purchaser
verify with the supplier the appropriateness of any alternative bolting materials
required. What alternative, if any, is desired in the type of rustproofing for bolts and
nuts (Sec. 4.4.4).
14. Whether the valve is handwheel or wrench-nut operated and the direction in
which the handwheel or wrench nut shall turn to open (Sec. 4.4.7).
15. Detailed description of wrench nut, if not in accordance with Sec. 4.4.7.
16. Whether or not records of tests specified in Section 5 are to be provided.
17. Special markings (Sec. 6.1), if required.
18. Affidavit of compliance (Sec. 6.3), if required.
III.B. Modification to Standard. Any modification to the provisions, definitions,
or terminology in the standard must be provided by the purchaser.
IV. Major Revisions. Major revisions made to the standard in this edition
include the following:
1. Revised to cover 42-in. NPS and 48-in. NPS sizes.
2. Revised to include integral and nonintegral thrust collar stem designs.
3. Revised to include reduced flange thickness for flanged-end valves.
4. Revised to include socket head and metric fasteners.
5. Added additional copper alloys to Table 5.
6. Revised to include the use of stainless-steel components (Sec. 4.2.3.5).
V. Comments. If you have any comments or questions about this standard,
please call the AWWA Volunteer and Technical Support Group at 303.794.7711, FAX
at 303.795.7603, write to the group at 6666 West Quincy Avenue, Denver, CO 80235-
3098, or e-mail the group at standards@awwa.org.
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Copyright © 2009 American Water Works Association. All Rights Reserved.
ANSI/AWWA C515-09
(Revision of ANSI/AWWA C515-01)
AWWA Standard
Section 1: GENERAL
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Copyright © 2009 American Water Works Association. All Rights Reserved.
2 AWWA C515-09
Section 2: REFERENCES
* American National Standards Institute, 25 West 43rd Street, Fourth Floor, New York, NY 10036.
† SAE International, 400 Commonwealth Drive, Warrendale, PA 15096.
* Federal Specifications are available from Naval Publications and Form Center, 5801 Tabor Ave., Philadelphia,
PA 19120.
MSS* SP‑9—Standard Practice for Spot Facing for Bronze, Iron, and Steel
Flanges.
MSS SP-60—Standard Practice for Connecting Flange Joint Between Tap-
ping Sleeves and Tapping Valves.
MSS SP-113—Standard Practice for Connecting Joint Between Tapping
Machines and Tapping Valves.
Section 3: DEFINITIONS
* Manufacturers Standardization Society of the Valve and Fittings Industry, 127 Park Street NE, Vienna, VA
22180.
structural design or test requirements of this standard. This includes but is not
limited to imperfections that result in leakage through the walls of a casting, failure
to meet the minimum wall thickness requirement, or failure to meet production
tests.
10. Supplier: The party that supplies materials or services. A supplier
may or may not be the manufacturer.
11. Tapping valve: A special gate valve designed with end connec-
tions and an unobstructed waterway to provide proper alignment and positioning
of a tapping sleeve, valve, and machine for tapping pipe dry or under pressure.
Section 4: REQUIREMENTS
4.2.3.3.5 Copper alloys that contain 16 percent or less zinc shall not con-
tain less than 79 percent copper.
4.2.3.3.6 Valve components manufactured from some grades of manga-
nese, bronze, or some other materials are subject to stress corrosion. The manufac-
turer shall design the valve and select materials to minimize stress corrosion.
4.2.3.3.7 Copper alloys that contact drinking water shall comply with the
Safe Drinking Water Act.
4.2.3.4 Carbon steel. Carbon steel castings, when used, shall conform to
the requirements of ASTM A27 Grade U-60-30 or equal.
4.2.3.5 Stainless steel. Stainless steel used in valves shall comply with the
following:
4.2.3.5.1 The chemical composition of stainless-steel valve components
shall contain not less than 15 percent chromium or more than 0.25 percent carbon
and shall be processed to reduce the formation of chromium carbides.
4.2.3.5.2 Stainless-steel valve components, when used, shall be made to
ASTM recognized alloy specifications with metal and alloys in the Unified Num-
bering System (UNS). Stainless-steel alloys are not limited to those specified here-
in. Stainless-steel alloys, however, must meet the performance requirements of this
standard including, but not limited to, the minimum yield strength and chemical
requirements.
4.2.3.5.3 After final forming and machining, exogenous iron shall be
removed from finished stainless-steel components that come in contact with water,
or those components shall be passivated in accordance with ASTM A380. Other
stainless-steel components shall be cleaned and descaled per the manufacturer’s
requirements.
4.2.3.6 Gaskets. Gasket material shall be made of inorganic mineral
fiber, rubber composition, or paper that is free from corrosive ingredients. O‑rings
or other suitable elastomeric seals may be used.
4.2.3.7 O-rings. O-rings shall meet the requirements of ASTM D2000
and have physical properties suitable for the application.
4.2.3.8 Coatings. Unless otherwise specified by the purchaser, valve
coatings, as required in Sec. 4.5.2, shall be water-based enamel coating, black
asphalt coatings, ANSI/AWWA C550 coatings, or equal except as required by
Sec. 4.4.1.3.
4.2.3.9 Elastomers. Elastomers shall comply with the following:
a. Rubber seats shall be resistant to microbiological attack, copper poison-
shall include appropriate clearance for the diameter of the tapping machine cutter
recommended by the valve manufacturer.
Sec. 4.4 Detailed Design
4.4.1 Body and bonnet.
4.4.1.1 Material. The body and bonnet shall be made of ductile iron.
4.4.1.2 Shell thickness. Shell thickness at no point shall be less than the
minimum metal thickness shown in Table 2.
4.4.1.3 Body seating surfaces. Resilient seats shall seal against a corrosion-
resistant surface. The surface may be either metallic or nonmetallic, applied in a
manner to withstand the action of the line fluids and the operation of the sealing
gate during long-term service. A metallic surface shall have a corrosion resistance
equivalent to or better than bronze. A nonmetallic surface shall be in compliance
with ANSI/AWWA C550.
4.4.1.4 Valve ends. Except as agreed on by the purchaser and supplier,
end connections shall conform to one of the following requirements.
4.4.1.4.1 The thickness of the end flanges may be less than specified in
ASME B16.1 or ANSI/AWWA C110/A21.10 but not less than shown in Table 4.
Other dimensions and drilling of end flanges shall conform to ASME B16.1
class 125 or ANSI/AWWA C110/A21.10 except as modified by the purchase doc-
uments. Unless spot‑facing is required by the purchase documents, the bolt holes
of the end flanges shall not be spot‑faced except when the thickness at any point
within the spot‑face area, as defined in MSS SP‑9, exceeds the required minimum
flange thickness of ASME B16.1 by more than indicated in Table 3 or if the flange
is not sufficiently flat. If the foregoing limit is exceeded, either spot‑facing or back-
facing may be used to meet the requirements. When required, spot‑facing shall be
done in accordance with MSS SP‑9. Bolt holes shall straddle the vertical centerline
of the valve, unless otherwise specified by the purchaser. The laying lengths of
flanged valves 12 in. (300 mm) and smaller shall conform to the requirements for
double disc gate valves listed in Table 1 of ASME B16.10.
4.4.1.4.2 Mechanical-joint bell dimensions shall conform to ANSI/AWWA
C111/A21.11. Slots with the same width as the diameter of the bolt holes may be
provided instead of holes in the bell flange where the valve body and bonnet inter-
fere with the joint assembly.
4.4.1.4.3 Push‑on joints shall conform to the requirements of ANSI/
AWWA C111/A21.11.
4.4.1.4.4 The end flange of a tapping valve that forms a joint with the tap-
ping sleeve shall conform to the dimensions of MSS SP-60 in sizes 3-in. (75-mm)
through 12-in. (300-mm) NPS. For larger sizes, flange dimensions shall be as
agreed to by the purchaser and supplier.
The connecting flange of the tapping valve mating with the tapping machine
must be parallel and concentric with the opposite flange and concentric with the
waterway to provide proper alignment for the tapping operation. The end flange of
a tapping valve that forms a joint with the tapping machine shall conform to the
dimensions of MSS SP-113.
4.4.1.5 Yokes on OS&Y valves. On OS&Y valves, the yoke on bonnets
may be integral or of bolted‑on construction. If the yoke is not an integral part of
the bonnet, it shall be made of ductile iron or gray iron. The design shall be such
that a hand cannot be jammed between a yoke and the handwheel.
4.4.2 Gate.
4.4.2.1 Material. The material of the gate shall be ductile iron, gray iron,
or copper alloy (see Table 5 for copper alloys).
4.4.2.1.1 Resilient seats shall be bonded or mechanically attached to the
gate. The proof-of-design test method used for bonding or vulcanizing shall be
ASTM D429—either method A or method B. For method A, the minimum strength
shall not be less than 250 psi (1,725 kPa). For method B, the peel strength shall
not be less than 75 lb/in. (13.2 N/mm). Exposed mechanical attaching devices and
hardware used to retain the resilient seat shall be of a corrosion-resistant material.
4.4.3 Guides. If guiding is required to obtain shutoff, the design shall be
such that corrosion in the guide area does not affect seating.
4.4.4 Bolting. Bolting materials, excluding joint accessories, shall meet
the mechanical strength requirements of ASTM A307 and shall have either regular
square, hexagonal, or socket heads with dimensions conforming to ASME B18.2.1,
B18.2.3.1M, B18.3, or B18.3.1M. Bolts, studs, and nuts shall be (1) zinc‑coated
(ASTM A153 or B633); or (2) made corrosion-resistant by some other process
disclosed to and acceptable to the purchaser. The purchaser may specify bolts,
studs, and nuts made from a specified corrosion-resistant material, such as low‑zinc
bronze, nickel-copper alloy, or stainless steel. Stainless-steel bolts and studs shall
not be used on stainless nuts unless the threads are coated with an antiseize com-
pound or the fastening components are made of different alloys or some other
means are used to prevent galling.
Table 5 Stem, gate, thrust collar, and stem nut copper alloys
Copper Alloy*
ASTM Specification Number Alloy Designation
ASTM B16 UNS C36000
ASTM B138 UNS C67500
Stems, Gates, and Thrust Collars ASTM B283 UNS C67600
ASTM B98 UNS C66100
UNS C86200
ASTM B148 UNS C95200
UNS C95300
UNS C95500
ASTM B584 UNS C865002
UNS C86700†
UNS C87500
UNS C87600
UNS C87610
ASTM B763 UNS C86500†
UNS C86700†
UNS C99400
UNS C99500
ASTM B62 UNS C83600
ASTM B824 UNS C84400†
Stem Nuts and Gates ASTM B124 UNS C37700
ASTM B148 UNS C95200
UNS C95300
UNS C95500
ASTM B584 UNS C84400†
UNS C83450
UNS C86700†
UNS C87500
UNS C87610
ASTM B763 UNS C86500†
UNS C86700†
UNS C95200
UNS C95500
UNS C95800
UNS C99400
UNS C99500
* Alloys actually used or specified not limited to those listed—see Sec. 4.2.3.3.1.
† Compliance with ANSI/AWWA C515 requires the manufacturer to specify minimum mechanical (yield
strength) or chemical (copper and/or zinc) requirements that exceed the minimums required for this alloy by
the ASTM specification(s) listed.
showing the direction of the opening. The word “OPEN,” in ½-in. (12.7‑mm)
or larger letters, shall be cast on the nut to indicate clearly the direction to turn
the wrench when opening the valve. Handwheels shall be of the spoke type only.
Webbed or disc types are not permissible. An arrow showing the direction to turn
the handwheel to open the valve, with the word “OPEN” in ½-in. (12.7-mm) or
larger letters in a break in the arrow shaft, shall be cast on the rim of the handwheel
so as to be read easily.
4.4.8.1 Operating mechanism. NRS valves are to be supplied with wrench
nuts or handwheels. OS&Y valves are to be supplied with handwheels.
4.4.8.2 Direction of opening. The standard direction of opening is coun-
terclockwise as viewed from the top. Valves opening in the opposite direction
(clockwise) may be specified.
4.4.8.3 Method of securing. Wrench nuts or handwheels shall be fitted
to the valve stem on NRS valves. Handwheels shall be fitted to the stem nut on
OS&Y valves. In both cases, they shall be secured by mechanical means.
4.4.8.4 Color coding. Wrench nuts and handwheels that open the valve
by turning to the right (clockwise) shall be painted red, and wrench nuts and
handwheels that open the valve by turning to the left (counterclockwise) shall be
painted black.
4.4.9 Gaskets. Gaskets, O-rings, or other suitable elastomeric seals shall
be used on flanged joints intended to be watertight.
4.4.10 Gearing. If they are required by the purchase documents, gears
shall be accurately formed and smooth running, with a pinion shaft operating in a
bronze, self-lubricating, or permanently sealed antifriction bearing.
4.4.10.1 Material. Geared valves shall be equipped with steel, ductile-iron,
or gray-iron gears. If cast-iron gears are provided, the pinion shall be steel. Material
for steel gears shall be ASTM A27 Grade U-60-30 or equal.
4.4.10.2 Gear cases. Valves using O-ring or V-type stem seals may have the
gear case attached directly to the valve. When geared valves are provided, enclosed
gear cases are required unless definitely excluded by the purchaser’s requirements.
4.4.10.3 Indicators. When required by the purchase documents, geared
valves shall be equipped with indicators to show the position of the gate in relation
to the waterway.
4.4.10.4 Gear ratio. Gear ratios shall not be less than those shown in
Table 9.
4.4.10.5 Input torque. The maximum input torque shall be as recom-
mended by the manufacturer.
Sec. 4.5 Fabrication
4.5.1 Workmanship.
4.5.1.1 Interchangeable parts. Valve parts shall conform to their required
dimensions and shall be free from defects that could prevent proper functioning
of the valve. Like parts of valves of the same model and size produced by the same
manufacturer shall be interchangeable.
4.5.1.2 Castings. Castings shall be clean and sound without defects that
will weaken their structure or impair their service. Plugging, welding, or repair-
ing of cosmetic defects is allowed. Repairing of structural defects is not allowed
unless agreed to by the purchaser. Repaired valves shall comply with the testing
requirements of this standard. Repairs within the bolt circle of any flange face are
not allowed.
4.5.2 Coating.
4.5.2.1 Interior ferrous surfaces. A coating conforming to the perfor-
mance requirements of ANSI/AWWA C550 shall be applied to the interior ferrous
surfaces of the body and bonnet that are in contact with liquid. Other exposed
interior ferrous surfaces except finished or bearing surfaces shall be coated with a
material specified in Sec. 4.2.3.8.
4.5.2.2 Exterior ferrous surfaces. A coating material as specified in
Sec. 4.2.3.8 shall be applied to exterior ferrous surfaces.
Section 5: VERIFICATION
5.1.2 Production testing. After manufacture, each gate valve shall be sub-
jected to operation and hydrostatic tests at the manufacturer’s plant as specified in
this section.
5.1.2.1 Operation test. Each valve shall be operated through a complete
cycle to ensure proper functioning of parts. Any defects in workmanship shall be
corrected, and the test repeated until a satisfactory performance is demonstrated.
5.1.2.2 Shell test. A hydrostatic test pressure equal to twice the rated
working pressure of the valve shall be applied to the assembled valve with the gate
in the open position. The test shall show no leakage through the metal, pressure-
containing joints, or stem seals.
5.1.2.3 Seat test. A hydrostatic test shall be made from each direction at
a minimum of the rated working pressure to prove the sealing ability of each valve
from both directions of flow. The test shall show no leakage through the metal,
pressure‑containing joints, or past the seat.
Sec. 5.2 Plant Inspection and Rejection
Work performed according to this standard, except prototype testing, shall
be subject to inspection and acceptance by the purchaser, who shall have access
to places of manufacture where these valves are being produced and tested. Any
valve or part that may be determined as not conforming to the requirements of this
standard shall be made satisfactory, or it shall be rejected and repaired or replaced
by the manufacturer. Repaired valves must be acceptable to the purchaser and
specifically accepted when submitted or resubmitted. Whether the purchaser has a
representative at the plant or not, an affidavit of compliance may be required from
the manufacturer as provided in Sec. 6.3 of this standard.
Section 6: DELIVERY
Resilient-seated gate valves should be inspected at the time of receipt for dam-
age during shipment. The initial inspection should verify compliance with speci-
fications, direction of opening, size and shape of operating nut, number of turns
to open or close, and type of end connections. A visual inspection of the seating
23
Copyright © 2009 American Water Works Association. All Rights Reserved.
24 AWWA C515-09
A.5.2.2 A valve box or vault should be provided for each valve used in a
buried-service application. The valve box should be installed so as not to transmit
loads or stress to the valve, valve stem, or piping system. The valve box should be
centered over the operating nut of the valve with the box cover flush with the sur-
face of the finished area or another level as directed by the purchaser. Valve boxes
should be designed so that a traffic load on the top of the box is not transmitted to
the valve stem or piping system.
A.5.2.3 Valves buried in unusually deep trenches have special provisions
for operating the valve. These are either a riser on the stem to permit a normal key
to be used or a notation on valve records that a long key will be required.
A.5.2.4 When valves with exposed gearing or operating mechanisms are
installed belowground, a vault designed to allow pipe clearance and prevent settling
on the pipe should be provided. The operating nut should be accessible from the top
opening of the vault with a valve key. The size of the vault should provide for easy
removal of the valve bonnet and internal parts of the valve for purposes of repair.
Consideration should be given to the possible entry of groundwater or surface water
and to the need to provide for the disposal thereof.
Sec. A.5.3 Aboveground Installations
Valves installed aboveground or in a plant piping system should be supported
and aligned to avoid damage to the valve. Valves should not be used to correct
misalignment of piping.
Sec. A.5.4 Inspection
After installation and before pressurization of the valve, pressure‑containing
bolting (bonnet, seal plate, packing gland, and end connections) should be
inspected for adequate tightness to prevent leakage. In addition, an inspection
should be made for adequate tightness of tapped and plugged openings to the valve
interior. Proper inspection at this time will minimize the possibility of leaks after
the piping system has been pressurized.
Sec. A.5.5 Testing
To prevent time lost searching for leaks, it is recommended that valve excava-
tions not be backfilled until pressure tests have been completed. After installation,
it is desirable to test newly installed piping sections, including valves, at some pres-
sure above the system design pressure. The test pressure should not exceed the rated
working pressure of the valve. After the test, steps should be taken to relieve any
trapped pressure in the body of the valve. The resilient-seated gate valve should not
be operated in either the opening or closing direction at differential pressures above
the rated working pressure. It should be noted that valves seat better at or near the
rated working pressure of the valve. In addition, wear or foreign material may dam-
age valve seating surfaces and may cause leakage (See ANSI/AWWA C600).
Sec. A.5.6 Records
Once the valve is installed, the valve location, size, make, type, date of
installation, number of turns to open, direction of opening, and other information
deemed pertinent should be entered on permanent records.
Sec. A.5.7 Application Hazards
Resilient-seated gate valves should not be installed in applications or for ser-
vice other than those recommended by the manufacturer. The following list of
precautions is not inclusive but will help avoid some applications hazards.
A.5.7.1 Resilient-seated gate valves should not be installed in lines where ser-
vice pressure will exceed the rated working pressure of the valve.
A.5.7.2 Resilient-seated gate valves should not be used for throttling service
unless the design is specifically recommended for that purpose or accepted in
advance by the manufacturer.
A.5.7.3 Resilient-seated gate valves should not be used in applications that
are exposed to freezing temperatures unless sufficient flow is maintained through
the valve or other protection is provided to prevent freezing.
A.5.7.4 Pipe, fittings, and valves installed in underground piping are
generally joined with push-on or mechanical joints. These joints are considered
unrestrained-type joints because no significant restraint against longitudinal
separation is provided.
Gate valves should not be installed at a dead end or near a bend in a pipeline
without proper and adequate restraint to support the valve and prevent it from
blowing off the end of the line. Rigid piping systems incorporating flanged valves
are not recommended for buried service.
Thrust blocks, restrained joints, or other means of restraint are needed on
or adjacent to valves on pipelines or where unusual conditions exist, such as high
internal pressures, adjacent fittings, or unsuitable soils.
A.5.7.5 To prevent damage, 3-in. (75-mm) NPS and 4‑in. (100-mm) NPS,
resilient-seated gate valves should not be operated with input torques greater than
200 ft·lb (270 Nm). Gate valves 6-in. (150-mm) NPS to 16-in. (400-mm) NPS
should not be operated with input torques greater than 300 ft·lb (406 Nm). For
valves larger than 16 in. (400 mm), consult the manufacturer.
and other appropriate municipal departments should be informed that the valve
is out of service.
Sec. A.6.3 Record Keeping
To carry out a meaningful inspection and maintenance program, it is essential
that the location, make, type, size, and date of installation of each valve be recorded.
Depending on the type of record-keeping system used, other information may be
entered in the permanent record. When a resilient-seated gate valve is inspected,
an entry should be made in the permanent record indicating date of inspection
and condition of the valve. If repair work is necessary, it should be indicated, and,
on completion of the work, the nature of the repairs and date completed should be
recorded.
Leakage, broken parts, hard operation, and other major defects should be
corrected by a repair crew as soon as possible after the defect is reported. If repairs
are to be performed in the field, the repair crew should take a full complement
of spare parts to the jobsite. Provisions should be made to isolate the defective
valve from water pressure and relieve internal trapped pressure prior to performing
any corrective maintenance. Disassembly of the valve should be accomplished in
accordance with the procedure supplied by the manufacturer.
After repair of the valve, the operating mechanism should be cycled through
one complete operating cycle. With full line pressure applied to the valve in the
open position, an inspection should be made to detect leakage in the areas around
the seal plate, bonnet, packing gland, and body-end connections. A record should
be made to indicate that the valve has been repaired and is in working condition.
Any markings that the valve is inoperable should be deleted. In addition, fire
departments and other appropriate municipal departments should be informed of
the satisfactory repair of the valve.