Is ISO 4427 the same as EN 12201?

Technically aligned but not identical documents. EN 12201 was revised to match ISO 4427, and the dimensions, materials and most tests are the same. EN 12201 is the one written into European tenders and carries the CE-relevant references; ISO 4427 is what international and Middle East projects usually cite.

Does ISO 4427 cover drinking-water approval?

No. It covers the pipe's mechanical and dimensional performance. Hygienic suitability for contact with drinking water is a separate national approval — WRAS in the UK, KIWA in the Netherlands, DVGW in Germany, NSF 61 in North America — granted to the compound and the pipe, not implied by the standard.

What does the marking on an ISO 4427 pipe include?

The standard number, the material (PE100), nominal size and SDR, pressure class, the manufacturer, and a production date or code that traces to the batch. If any of these is missing the pipe cannot be tied to its test results.

Which edition should I specify?

Specify the current edition without a year unless your client requires otherwise; the 2019 edition superseded 2007 and the wall-thickness table did not change. If a tender names the 2007 edition, we can still test and mark to it.

Resources

ISO 4427 — PE Pipes for Water Supply

The international standard behind most metric PE water pipe — parts, materials, dimensions, tests and how to write it into a specification.

ISO 4427 is the international standard for polyethylene piping systems for water supply and for drainage and sewerage under pressure. It is the parent of EN 12201 in Europe and of GB/T 13663 in China, and most metric PE pressure pipe sold internationally is made to one of the three. When a tender simply says PE100 pipe, DN315 SDR 17, it is describing an ISO 4427 pipe whether or not the number is written down.

The standard is in five parts. Part 1 sets the general rules and the material: the compound must have an MRS of 8 MPa (PE80) or 10 MPa (PE100), proven over 50 years at 20 °C. Part 2 covers pipe — the wall-thickness table on our size chart is its Table 2 — together with the pressure classes for each SDR and the tests on the finished pipe. Part 3 covers fittings, Part 4 valves and Part 5 fitness for purpose of the assembled system.

A certificate to ISO 4427-2 means the pipe passed a defined set of tests on the batch: hydrostatic strength at 20 °C for 100 hours and at 80 °C for 165 and 1,000 hours, melt flow rate within ±20 % of the compound, oxidation induction time of at least 20 minutes, carbon black content and dispersion for black pipe, longitudinal reversion, and dimensions and marking. Ask for the batch results, not just the certificate title.

We produce PE100 and PE100-RC pipe to ISO 4427-2 from DN20 to DN1600 in SDR 41 to SDR 7.4. When a project sits under a national standard we mark and test to that standard instead; the pipe is the same, the paperwork is not, so tell us which one before the order is placed.

Key features

Five parts: general, pipes, fittings, valves and fitness for purpose
Materials PE80 (MRS 8 MPa) and PE100 (MRS 10 MPa), design coefficient C ≥ 1.25
Sizes DN16 to DN2000, SDR 41 to SDR 6, PN 3.2 to PN 25
Batch tests: hydrostatic 20 °C/100 h and 80 °C/165 h and 1,000 h, MFR, OIT, carbon black
Harmonised with EN 12201; dimensionally identical to GB/T 13663

Specifications

ISO 4427 — PE Pipes for Water Supply technical specifications
Full title	Plastics piping systems — Polyethylene (PE) pipes and fittings for water supply
Parts	4427-1 General · 4427-2 Pipes · 4427-3 Fittings · 4427-4 Valves · 4427-5 Fitness for purpose
Materials	PE80 (MRS 8 MPa), PE100 (MRS 10 MPa); PE40 and PE63 for small sizes
Size range	DN16 to DN2000
Pressure classes	PN 3.2 to PN 25 depending on SDR and material, C = 1.25
Key pipe tests	ISO 1167 hydrostatic, ISO 1133 MFR, ISO 11357-6 OIT, ISO 6964 carbon black, ISO 2505 reversion
Related standards	EN 12201 (Europe), GB/T 13663 (China), AS/NZS 4130 (Australia)

Frequently asked questions

Is ISO 4427 the same as EN 12201?: Technically aligned but not identical documents. EN 12201 was revised to match ISO 4427, and the dimensions, materials and most tests are the same. EN 12201 is the one written into European tenders and carries the CE-relevant references; ISO 4427 is what international and Middle East projects usually cite.
Does ISO 4427 cover drinking-water approval?: No. It covers the pipe's mechanical and dimensional performance. Hygienic suitability for contact with drinking water is a separate national approval — WRAS in the UK, KIWA in the Netherlands, DVGW in Germany, NSF 61 in North America — granted to the compound and the pipe, not implied by the standard.
What does the marking on an ISO 4427 pipe include?: The standard number, the material (PE100), nominal size and SDR, pressure class, the manufacturer, and a production date or code that traces to the batch. If any of these is missing the pipe cannot be tied to its test results.
Which edition should I specify?: Specify the current edition without a year unless your client requires otherwise; the 2019 edition superseded 2007 and the wall-thickness table did not change. If a tender names the 2007 edition, we can still test and mark to it.

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