IS 12818 covers PVC-U screen and casing pipes for bore and tube wells, not the pressurised riser that supports or connects a submersible pump. Select its casing class from the approved well design and invoked standard; specify the pump column separately from its maker's engineering tables.
What IS 12818 covers and what it does not cover
IS 12818:2010 is the BIS specification for unplasticized PVC-U screen and casing pipes for bore and tube wells. It is not a steel casing standard and not a general IS 4985 water-supply pipe. Classes CS, CM and CD follow well depth bands of 80 m, 250 m and 450 m.
BIS Connect lists IS 12818:2010 as Unplasticized Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC-U) Screen and Casing Pipes for Bore/Tubewells, Second Revision, committee CED 50 (retrieved 2026-09-03). The BIS e-Sale row is Active, reaffirmed 2021. The 2010 text covers ribbed screen, plain screen and plain casing pipes of nominal diameter 35 mm to 400 mm for water-supply bore and tube wells.
Casing pipes are classified by depth. CS is for shallow wells up to 80 m. CM is for wells above 80 m and up to 250 m. CD is for wells above 250 m and up to 450 m. Screen pipes are designated RMS/RDS (ribbed) or PMS/PDS (plain). Casing is the solid-wall extension above the screen, not the pump riser by itself.
IS 12818 is not IS 4270 steel casing, not IS 1239 GI delivery pipe and not a pump-riser design standard. Specify any steel casing or pump column on separate lines using the applicable approved specification. See the IS 4270 casing guide for steel-casing procurement checks.
When should an RFQ cite IS 12818?
Cite IS 12818 when the approved well design requires PVC-U casing or screen made to that standard. Do not use its CS, CM or CD casing class as a pump-column pressure, temperature, impact or suspended-load rating.
For a Kanpur or outstation project, copy the PVC-U casing or screen material, class, DN, interval, connection and marking requirements from the approved well schedule. A JJM, PWD, Jal Nigam, farm or industrial label does not select a class by itself.
Material selection must come from the responsible designer after considering the well construction, loads, installation method, water analysis, temperature, joints, local requirements and manufacturer limits. This page does not prescribe PVC-U or steel from a corrosion, handling, DTH, pump-weight or depth shortcut.
Where the design combines different casing, screen or riser materials, list each approved component and interval on its own RFQ line. Keep the pump column separate so its operating head and suspended-load checks are not confused with the casing depth class.
- Use for: PVC-U casing or screen explicitly named by the approved well design
- State: class, DN, interval, connection, slot details, markings and documents
- Check separately: pump-riser head, suspended load, joint rating and manufacturer limits
- Do not reuse for: steel casing, delivery mains, boiler tubes or hydraulic-cylinder barrels
IS 12818 casing class versus well depth
CS stops at 80 m, CM runs above 80 m to 250 m and CD runs above 250 m to 450 m. Those bands come from IS 12818:2010 clause 3.3.1, retrieved 2026-09-03. Pump column class is still set by head, not by this casing table alone.
The table is a depth class for uPVC casing, not a steel wall table and not a pump HP chart. A 90 m Kanpur farm well that stays on uPVC casing is a CM enquiry. A 260 m industrial well that stays on uPVC casing is a CD enquiry. If the pump maker publishes a stricter column class, use the stricter line.
Nominal diameters in the standard run 35 mm to 400 mm. Column-pipe practice on this site is commonly 25-200 mm. Confirm DN, thread profile and coupler brand before mixing leftovers from another well.
| Class | Well depth band (m) | What it is | Procurement reading |
|---|---|---|---|
| CS | Up to 80 | Shallow well casing | Use only inside the shallow band |
| CM | Above 80 to 250 | Medium well casing | A 90 m enquiry enters this band |
| CD | Above 250 to 450 | Deep well casing | A 260 m enquiry enters this band |
How Kanpur contractors specify IS 12818
Contractors working Panki, Jajmau and rural Kanpur Dehat should not write "pipe for 5 HP" and stop. Write class, DN, piece length, total metres and whether the pipe is casing, screen or a brand-specific column. Attach the pump data sheet when the riser must carry the pump.
Collect from the Kanpur steel market yard or ask for a truck to Lucknow (80 km, NH-27) or Unnao (18 km). See steel pipes in Kanpur for the same dispatch desk. Send the RFQ with the class marking you will accept on each piece.
uPVC and steel have different identification and document requirements. If both appear on an approved schedule, keep the lines and document packs separate. Ask the written quotation whether the proposed lots, packing, vehicle and delivery sequence can be coordinated; do not assume a combined load.
When should a buyer choose IS 12818 uPVC instead of steel column pipe?
Choose uPVC, steel or a mixed system only from the approved design, applicable product standard, manufacturer limits, water chemistry, loads, temperature, connection, installation method and inspection plan. This page does not rank either material for a generic well description.
uPVC avoids red rust but has its own declared class, connection, temperature, handling and installation limits. Steel has different corrosion, mass, connection and handling characteristics. Procurement should compare only the alternatives accepted by the responsible designer and manufacturer for the actual system.
Do not switch material because of rate, depth, pump power or a broad water description. The comparison must use the approved head and transient cases, suspended load, water analysis, connection strength, installation method and retrieval plan.
For mixed systems, require an approved interface drawing that defines which material appears at each interval and how dimensions, loads, sealing and corrosion compatibility are managed. Do not infer the layout from a generic top-versus-bottom rule.
Why must IS 12818 casing class stay separate from pump-column design?
IS 12818 CS, CM and CD are casing depth classes, not pump-column pressure or suspended-load ratings. Select a proprietary PVC-U or steel riser only from the approved pump-system calculation and the manufacturer's declared limits.
Give the responsible designer the pump curve, total dynamic head, shut-off condition, flow, delivery size, water levels, riser length, connection layout and non-return valve arrangement. Horsepower or casing class does not replace those inputs.
The approved calculation should address operating and transient pressure, intended load path, pipe and water mass, pump mass, joints, start torque, supports, temperature, installation and retrieval. Procurement should copy the selected riser system and acceptance limits into the RFQ.
If a supplier proposes a proprietary PVC-U class or a steel alternative, require its declared pressure, joint, suspended-load, temperature and installation limits plus technical approval. This page does not confirm that any seller can provide a particular alternative.
What connection details belong on an IS 12818 casing or screen RFQ?
Copy the connection family, dimensions, components, assembly procedure, inspection and acceptance criteria from the invoked standard, approved design and manufacturer instructions. Do not treat this casing-and-screen standard as a pump-column joint guide.
The RFQ should identify the offered casing or screen connection and require confirmation that mating components belong to the approved system. State any required markings, protection, handling, gauges or inspection records rather than prescribing a universal thread shape or tool.
Installation torque, tools, alignment, supports, cable arrangement and lowering method belong to the approved construction procedure and manufacturer instructions. This page does not prescribe tightening, handling or a PVC-U-versus-steel response to a bore condition.
For tenders, copy the marking, batch traceability, component count, declarations and acceptance evidence required by the invoked standard and inspection plan. Keep pump-riser pressure and joint records on their own line when a separate column system is present.
What should be included in an IS 12818 tube-well pipe RFQ?
A complete IS 12818 RFQ states the approved casing or screen DN, class, interval, length, connection, slot details where applicable, markings, documents and delivery PIN. Keep pump-column data in a separate riser schedule.
Do not ask for an IS 12818 "column pipe for 5 HP pump." Instead, copy the casing or screen schedule from the approved well design and prepare a separate pump-riser RFQ from its engineering calculation and manufacturer limits.
Provide the water analysis, formation information, construction plan and local requirements to the responsible designer. Procurement should not convert a saline, iron-rich, chemically aggressive or abrasive label into a PVC-U, galvanised, epoxy, steel or screen-placement decision.
For mixed-material orders, state which lengths are IS 12818 uPVC and which are IS 4270 or other approved steel. Keep documentation separated so the site team can follow the approved section schedule. The written quotation should identify which proposed products and document packs are actually available for that enquiry.
Worked example: choosing CS, CM or CD for a Kanpur well
Under the cited IS 12818 depth bands, a 70 m casing example falls in CS, 90 m in CM and 260 m in CD, subject to the approved design and invoked edition. This classification does not select or rate a separate pump riser.
IS 12818 clause 3.3.1 puts CS at depths up to 80 m, CM above 80 m to 250 m and CD above 250 m to 450 m. A Kanpur contractor who writes "medium class" without CM is not citing the standard. Write the letters CS, CM or CD on the PO.
If the approved design uses a separate 50 NB steel riser with 60.3 mm OD and 3.6 mm wall, the site formula gives (60.3 − 3.6) × 3.6 × 0.02466 = 5.03 kg/m. Ninety metres are about 453 kg of pipe body before water, pump, connections and supports. This mass example does not select the riser or invoke IS 4270 for it.
That steel mass shows why casing class and hanging load need separate checks. The class table governs casing depth, not the hanging weight of a motor. Put pump weight, cable and safety-rope requirement on the RFQ when the column must carry the assembly. Repeat the check on the weight calculator for any steel portion.
Common IS 12818 procurement mistakes
Do not use pump power as a pipe class, mix connection systems without an approved interface or take a product beyond its declared limits. Record any observed damage or operating symptom and obtain a competent diagnosis; this page cannot assign a failure mechanism from appearance alone.
Two pumps with the same horsepower can have different system requirements. Select CS, CM or CD only for the IS 12818 casing depth band and select the separate pump-riser system from its approved calculation and manufacturer limits.
Require the approved connection drawing, mating-component identification, assembly procedure and acceptance check. Do not invent a trial-fit location, thread compatibility rule or prohibited tool from this page.
Treat well development, formation control, screen design and pump-riser selection as separate engineering and construction responsibilities. Record observed sand or damage and obtain a competent diagnosis rather than assigning a universal failure mechanism.
Standards and documents for an IS 12818 order
Cite IS 12818:2010 for uPVC screen and casing. Cite IS 4270:2001 for any steel metres. Add the manufacturer's thread drawing when the joint must match an installed string. Keep batch and class marks on every uPVC length.
IS 12818:2010 names ribbed screen, plain screen and plain casing, DN 35-400 mm and the CS/CM/CD depth classes. Ask the maker for the thread drawing and coupling dimensions that the inspection team will check.
Steel metres on the same truck need MTC and heat numbers. uPVC metres need the ordered class marking and batch declaration. Add TPI only when the JJM or PWD tender requires it. IBR manufacture-and-test forms are not tube-well documents. Form III-A is for steam pipes, Form III-B for tubes and Form III-C for boiler mountings and fittings.
Jal Jeevan Mission is a rural tap-connection programme with source-sustainability works. It does not replace a bore log. CGWB exploratory-drilling pages still list well construction, development and a pumping test that measures drawdown. Put those field facts on the RFQ beside the pipe class.
Key points for an IS 12818 buyer
- IS 12818:2010 covers PVC-U screen and casing for bore and tube wells, DN 35-400 mm.
- CS is up to 80 m, CM above 80 m to 250 m, CD above 250 m to 450 m.
- Kanpur quotes are ex-warehouse with GST at the legally applicable GST rate stated on the current quotation; uPVC uses class marks, not a steel MTC.
- Use CS, CM or CD only for the casing depth band; design the pump riser separately.
- Combine materials only where the approved well section and interface details specify them.