IS 4270 covers steel tubes used for water wells. A purchase description should copy the approved bore design: OD, wall, joint family, plain and slotted metres, coating, inspection-document requirement and the applicable standard edition. The dimensional table below is a cross-check for a Kanpur RFQ, not a depth rating or a recommendation for a particular well.
What IS 4270 casing is, what governs it and what it is not
IS 4270:2001 is the BIS specification for steel tubes used as water-well casing, drive pipe and housing. It is not a boiler, fire-hydrant or uPVC standard. Joints are screwed-and-socketed, screwed flush or plain bevelled for site welding.
The BIS e-Sale catalogue lists IS 4270:2001 as Active, reaffirmed in 2022, under committee MTD 19, with two amendments (retrieved 2026-09-03). The 2001 text covers steel tubes for water wells used as casing, drive pipe and housing. It names three joint families: screwed and socketed butt joints, screwed flush butt joints and plain bevelled ends for butt-welded joints.
Grades in that text are Fe 410 and Fe 450. Table 1 gives Fe 410 a minimum yield of 235 MPa, tensile strength of 410 MPa and 15 percent elongation. Fe 450 is 275 MPa yield, 450 MPa tensile and 13 percent elongation. Sulphur and phosphorus are each limited to 0.04 percent. Manual arc welding and hydraulic lap welding are outside the standard.
IS 4270 is not IS 1239 water-and-gas pipe, not IS 12818 uPVC screen or casing and not an IBR boiler-tube specification. IBR manufacture-and-test forms do not apply to a groundwater casing string. Form III-A is for steam pipes, Form III-B for tubes and Form III-C for boiler mountings and fittings. For the uPVC alternative see IS 12818 column and casing pipe. For the steel product range see drill and borewell pipes.
Who should buy IS 4270 casing and who should not
Use IS 4270 only when the approved well design specifies steel water-well casing. The designer must select steel, uPVC or another system from the bore log, loads, water chemistry, joint design, installation method and applicable project requirements. Do not use this page to choose casing material from an application label.
Kanpur and Unnao farm contractors, Jal Nigam / Jal Jeevan Mission bidders and PWD tender crews specify steel casing when the approved bore design calls for it. Sugar-mill process-water wells can use the same family. Hydraulic and printing-cylinder shops should not treat this page as a precision-tube specification.
Where the approved design selects steel, preserve its collapse, handling, connection and corrosion assumptions on the RFQ. Where it selects uPVC under IS 12818, preserve the manufacturer and design limits. A mixed-material string is acceptable only when the approved design defines compatible dimensions, connections, loads and sealing; this page does not recommend a material by depth, pump power or water description.
Do not substitute IS 1239 Light class for well casing. Do not order IBR seamless because a consultant wrote "steel pipe" on a borewell BOQ. Those are different products with different tests and documents.
- For: water-well projects whose approved design names IS 4270 steel casing
- RFQ input: bore log, approved section schedule, OD, wall, joint and plain/slotted metres
- Design check: loads, water chemistry, installation method and local authority requirements
- Not for: IBR steam, fire hydrants or hydraulic-cylinder barrels
IS 4270 size and wall table used on this site
This site publishes six nominal bores from 100 mm to 300 mm. At 150 NB the approximate OD is 168.3 mm, light-duty wall 4.5 mm, heavy-duty wall 5.4 mm. As-of date 2026-05-06, copied from the IS 4270 standard page already in src/.
Use the table to convert a spoken "6 inch bore pipe" into NB, OD and wall before the RFQ leaves Kanpur. Nominal bore is shorthand. Coupling OD and pump OD decide whether the string passes the drilled hole. Figures below are the site table on IS 4270 steel tubes for water well casing, not a mill price list.
GST on the steel invoice is extra at the legally applicable GST rate stated on the current quotation. Quotes are ex-warehouse Kanpur. Freight to Lucknow (80 km on NH-27), Unnao (18 km) or Prayagraj (200 km on NH-19) is added on the proforma, not buried in the pipe rate.
| Nominal bore | Approx. OD (mm) | Light duty WT (mm) | Heavy duty WT (mm) | Common use |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 100 mm (4") | 114.3 | 4.0 | 4.85 | Use only when selected by the approved design |
| 125 mm (5") | 141.3 | 4.0 | 4.85 | Use only when selected by the approved design |
| 150 mm (6") | 168.3 | 4.5 | 5.4 | Use only when selected by the approved design |
| 200 mm (8") | 219.1 | 4.5 | 6.35 | Use only when selected by the approved design |
| 250 mm (10") | 273.1 | 5.0 | 6.35 | Use only when selected by the approved design |
| 300 mm (12") | 323.9 | 5.6 | 7.1 | Use only when selected by the approved design |
Buying IS 4270 pipe in Kanpur
For a Kanpur enquiry, request the ex-warehouse basis and separately state the destination, access limits, unloading responsibility and required date. Availability, loading location, vehicle and destination coverage must be confirmed on the written quotation for the offered lot. See drill and borewell pipes in Kanpur and steel pipes in Kanpur.
Confirm dispatch timing, destination coverage and the vehicle plan on the written quotation. The FAQ lists Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Delhi NCR and Uttarakhand as a service area, not a same-day or daily-dispatch guarantee. Lucknow is 80 km via NH-27 on the first-party city page. Unnao is 18 km. Lucknow steel pipes and the other city routes use that same yard.
Send the RFQ with OD, wall or duty class, length, end finish, slotted metres, coating, MTC and delivery PIN. Ask the written quotation to confirm TPI when a Jal Nigam or PWD tender names it. Ask the written quotation to confirm whether cut-to-length is offered when the rig cannot handle 6 m joints.
Which IS 4270 casing size should procurement specify for a new borewell?
Specify casing from the approved bore log and well design: drilled diameter, pump envelope, aquifer and screen plan, depth, wall and collapse basis, joint route, annular space, gravel pack, sanitary seal, straightness and retrieval clearance. Do not assign a farm or commercial diameter band from this page.
IS 4270 is the steel casing standard buyers should cite when the well design calls for mild-steel tubes instead of PVC. The purchase line should not say only "6 inch bore pipe"; it should state OD in millimetres, wall thickness, length, threaded-and-coupled ends and whether each piece is plain, slotted or blank casing. Nominal Bore is only a shorthand. For fitment, outside diameter and coupling OD decide whether the assembly passes through the drilled hole without binding.
The approved bore design should identify where plain casing and screen or slotted sections belong. Procurement should reproduce those intervals as separate line items, including the designer-specified slot geometry and any pack or seal notes. This page cannot infer screen placement or performance from a generic aquifer description.
For RP Sales RFQs, include the drilling contractor’s bore log and approved section schedule. Ask the designer to state the wall and connection basis after considering formation, installation loads, corrosion, collapse and retrieval. IS 4270 provides a product-standard reference; it does not convert a shallow, medium, deep, farm or industrial label into a safe wall.
How much wall thickness is enough for shallow, medium and deep borewells?
Select wall thickness from the approved well design and the invoked standard. The calculation or design note should account for collapse and installation loads, corrosion allowance, connection efficiency, straightness, handling and retrieval. Do not assign a wall band from depth or formation labels on this page.
Depth alone does not rate a casing. The approved design must consider formation and installation loads, corrosion, joint efficiency, straightness and the invoked standard together. The RFQ should carry the design depth and selected wall as separate inputs, with the drawing or calculation reference that connects them.
The design review should include installation as well as in-service loads. Casing may be lifted, clamped, lowered, rotated or subjected to other loads defined by the installation method. Connection geometry and minimum remaining wall require their own checks. Procurement should preserve the approved wall and joint without treating heavier or lighter material as a universal upgrade.
Ask for the MTC, heat number traceability and straightness check. For saline zones, specify galvanised or coated casing separately; zinc or coating improves corrosion life but does not compensate for inadequate wall thickness. The CGWB manual’s construction logic covers proper diameter, correct screen placement and sanitary sealing. Those choices matter as much as pipe mass per metre.
Should IS 4270 casing be plain end, bevel end or threaded and coupled?
Use the joint family named by the approved well design and invoked IS 4270 edition. State its geometry, make-up or welding procedure, inspection, coupling count and clearance. This page does not rank threaded, flush or welded joints as universally safer.
For threaded-and-coupled supply, copy the approved thread form, engagement, coupling, make-up procedure, inspection method, protection and quantity onto the PO. Confirm the offered details on the written quotation; do not assume one coupling, protector or thread family accompanies every length.
For a welded route, copy the approved bevel, welding procedure, inspection and coating-repair requirements. Welding changes the assembly and inspection plan, but it is not automatically inferior to a threaded route when the design and workmanship controls are appropriate.
Compatibility must be demonstrated against the approved connection dimensions and inspection plan. If material from more than one source is proposed, require written confirmation of the interface and any gauge or trial-fit evidence the design calls for before allocation.
What inspections should be checked before accepting IS 4270 casing pipe?
Check the dimensions, connection, slot details, coating, identification and documents named on the PO. Record nonconforming ends, slots, shape, threads or traceability and obtain the specified disposition before installation. The acceptance criteria must come from the invoked standard and approved inspection plan.
Incoming inspection should start on the truck. Measure a sample of OD and wall thickness, count pieces and couplings and compare heat numbers with the MTC. Confirm that slotted pieces match the marked water-bearing zone lengths. If slots are cut too close to the threaded end, the joint becomes a weak point precisely where the casing sees handling stress.
Thread inspection is practical: make a coupling up by hand for a few turns, then with the proper wrench. It should not cross-thread, wobble or bottom out immediately. Keep thread protectors until the pipe reaches the bore site. Transport damage is common on long steel lengths and a crushed male end can stop drilling work even if the pipe body is correct.
Documentation matters because borewell failures are buried. If a casing collapses or corrodes early, heat-level traceability, MTC chemistry and visible dimensions are the buyer’s evidence. Ask the written quotation to state the MTC type for the offered IS 4270 lot and whether third-party inspection is included for the named tender or institutional groundwater work.
How to write an IS 4270 RFQ from Kanpur
State NB or OD, wall or light/heavy duty, Fe 410 or Fe 450, 3 m or 6 m length, flush or T&C, slotted versus blank metres, coating, MTC, TPI if required, packing and ex-warehouse Kanpur delivery. Attach the bore log interval for screen placement.
A complete RFQ lets the yard load without a second phone call. Write OD in millimetres, not only "6 inch". Write wall in millimetres or light/heavy duty. Write Fe 410 or Fe 450 if the tender names a grade. Write one coupling per T&C length and thread protectors. Write blank metres and slotted metres as separate lines.
Add the coating, inspection-document type, traceability and TPI scope only as required by the approved design, tender and purchase order. Confirm that the offered lot can supply those items; do not treat EN 10204 Type 3.1 or any TPI service as automatic. IBR manufacture-and-test forms do not apply to a water well. Form III-A is for steam pipes, Form III-B for tubes and Form III-C for boiler mountings and fittings.
Delivery basis is ex-warehouse Kanpur plus GST at the legally applicable GST rate stated on the current quotation. Name the site PIN so freight to Unnao, Lucknow, Prayagraj or a Bundelkhand village can be priced. Link the bore to sizes by depth and the end finish to threaded versus bevel-end.
- Size: NB or OD in mm, wall or duty class, Fe 410 / Fe 450
- Length: 3 m or 6 m, total metres, blank versus slotted
- Ends: T&C with couplings, flush-joint or bevel for weld
- Documents: MTC, heat number, TPI if named; no IBR Form III-A, III-B or III-C
- Commercial: ex-works Kanpur, GST at the legally applicable GST rate stated on the current quotation, delivery PIN
Worked example: 80 m of 150 NB heavy-duty casing from Kanpur
For 168.3 mm OD and 5.4 mm wall the site formula gives 21.69 kg/m. Eighty metres weigh 1,735.2 kg before couplings. Hydrotest pressure for Fe 410 calculates above 7 MPa, so the standard caps the test at 7 MPa for at least 3 seconds.
This site states steel mass as weight = (OD − t) × t × 0.02466 kg/m, with OD and wall in millimetres. Using the 150 NB heavy-duty row already on the IS 4270 page: OD 168.3 mm, t 5.4 mm. (168.3 − 5.4) × 5.4 × 0.02466 = 162.9 × 5.4 × 0.02466 = 21.69 kg/m.
An 80 m shallow-to-medium farm string is then 80 × 21.69 = 1,735.2 kg or 1.7352 MT of pipe body. Couplings add mass on T&C supply; do not treat 1.7352 MT as the invoiced truck weight. Light-duty 4.5 mm wall on the same OD is 18.18 kg/m or 1.454 MT for 80 m. The difference is 0.2812 MT on the same metres.
IS 4270 clause 8 calculates hydrotest as 280 × t / D N/mm² for Fe 410, capped at 7 MPa, hold not less than 3 s, no leakage. 280 × 5.4 / 168.3 = 8.98 MPa, so the test is run at the 7 MPa cap. Ask the MTC to show that hydrotest, not a verbal "tested" line. Use the pipe weight calculator to repeat the mass check before the PO.
Common mistakes on IS 4270 casing orders
An ambiguous RFQ can leave size, wall, joint, coupling and screen intervals unresolved. Record each attribute from the approved design and require written approval for substitutions. Do not diagnose a later well or pump problem from procurement wording alone.
The spoken inch size does not fix OD, wall, thread or coupling clearance. Measure the offered coupling OD and compare it with the drilled hole, pump envelope and lowering tools. Changing the joint family after reaming forces another fitment review.
If more than one source or thread tooling route is proposed, verify interface dimensions with the approved gauge or trial-fit method. Count ordered couplings and compare slot setbacks with the drawing. CGWB material treats well construction and development as separate activities; procurement evidence cannot establish the cause of a later operating problem.
Galvanising does not establish casing capacity. The approved design must still specify base wall and connection. Do not put IBR language on a casing PO. Compare physical identification with the inspection documents named on the PO and record any mismatch for disposition.
IS 4270 clauses that belong on the purchase order
Cite IS 4270:2001 for steel water-well tubes. Name Fe 410 or Fe 450, the joint type from clause 1.1, hydrotest per clause 8 and end geometry from clause 9. Cite IS 12818 only for uPVC and IS 4736 only when zinc coating is required.
Clause 1.1 of the 2001 text limits the product to casing, drive pipe and housing with the three joint types named above. Clause 8 requires a calculated hydrotest, maximum 7 MPa, hold of at least 3 seconds, no leakage. Clause 9 sets bevel geometry: 30° from a line perpendicular to the axis when both ends are bevelled, root face 1.6 ± 0.8 mm; 45° ± 2.5° when only one end is bevelled. Straightness is 1 in 600.
Screwed ends use right-hand V-form threads. Screwed flush joints use right-hand square-form threads. That is why a bevel-end RFQ is a welding job, not a thread job. See threaded versus bevel-end.
CGWB lists well construction, well development and a pumping test as separate field activities. The pumping test measures drawdown under a known discharge. Procurement cannot skip those steps by buying a heavier wall. Jal Jeevan Mission work still needs a source well that was constructed and developed, not only a tap connection target.
Key points for an IS 4270 buyer
- IS 4270:2001 covers steel casing, drive pipe and housing in Fe 410 and Fe 450.
- 150 NB heavy-duty on this site is 168.3 mm OD and 5.4 mm wall, 21.69 kg/m by the site formula.
- Hydrotest is calculated and capped at 7 MPa with a hold of at least 3 seconds.
- Quotes are ex-warehouse Kanpur with GST extra at the legally applicable GST rate stated on the current quotation.
- Confirm on the written quotation whether an MTC will travel with the offered steel lot; add TPI only when the tender names it.