Archive for February, 2011

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Phoenix officials agree to increase water rates

Friday, February 25th, 2011

With mandatory water upgrades yet to be completed and water conservation a top priority, city officials in Phoenix approved a water rate increase to begin in April.

According to reports, the possible hike in water bills has been a hot topic among Phoenix residents, who have already experienced a rise in food taxes and other city fees this year.

Despite the jump in water rates, the Arizona Republic reports they may decrease in the fall if the city is able to reduce its water management budget by not hiring new workers.

Skip Rimsza, the former Phoenix mayor, told the news source he understands why many are worried about the rate increase, but that it should help the city financially for the next few years.

"Today, if we all accept a small increase, long term, I think we can protect ourselves from larger increases and minimize any future increases," Rimsza told the paper.

Water service officials told KSAZ-TV besides the mandated water system upgrades, the city's plumbing infrastructure is in great need of renovations, which can soon be made with the money from the tax increases.

Posted in Water Conservation News | No Comments »

Green infrastructure benefits detailed in eco-building report

Friday, February 25th, 2011

Affordable water conservation methods in homes and businesses is one eco-friendly area in which real estate developers can benefit financially with future construction projects, a report by the Center for Neighborhood Technology states.

In addition to water-saving installations and procedures suggested for building construction, the financial advantages of utilizing air quality and energy-efficient development methods are also highlighted in the report.

"When you can assign economic value to the wide array of green infrastructure benefits, planners, builders and city officials can accurately evaluate the advantages of these approaches for managing stormwater in their communities," Danielle Gallet, infrastructure strategist at CNT, said in the report. "Establishing a framework for calculating the benefits of green infrastructure is a first, key step to making it a mainstream practice."

Steven W. Peck, the founder and president of Green Roofs for Healthy Cities, told Environmental Design and Construction that the report is an advantageous guide for manufacturers, designers and developers of real estate to become more environmentally friendly, as well as a good investment.

Posted in Plumbing Information | No Comments »

Gas pipeline leak in Texas City causes concern for residents

Friday, February 25th, 2011

Officials in Texas are trying to fix a gasoline pipeline break in Texas City, which released nearly 250,000 gallons and caused the evacuation of 15 homes, reports say.

Texas City emergency manager Bruce Clawson told the Associated Press that the break occurred in an isolated area of the pipeline and that no fire was started, but some local residents had to be moved to the Texas City Civic Center as a precaution while leak repairs are made.

"Our concerns are the toxicity of the gasoline and also the fire hazard," U.S. Coast Guard commander Jim Elliott told KHOU-TV. "The responders are focused on containing it, preventing it from propagating out and impacting the public."

The amount of gas spilled reportedly equal approximately 6,000 barrels. Officials from Mangelin, the gas company which operates the pipeline, told sources they are unsure of what caused the pipe leak, but that a leak detection helped alert them to the incident and the system is now under control.

Posted in Leak Detection Industry | No Comments »

North Carolina water leak discovered weeks after start

Friday, February 25th, 2011

Authorities in Etowah, North Carolina, have found the source of a weeks-long water leak, which has reportedly caused issues for many residents.

"We have physically walked every inch of the water lines in Etowah looking for this leak, and you could stand right next to it and never see it," Dennis Frady, Hendersonville’s assistant utilities director, told the Blue Ridge Times-News. He added that utility workers had to check between small valves underground to locate the pipe break.

The leak caused water shortages for a nearby housing development, as well as a boil-water advisory for other residents. Hendersonville city manager Bo Ferguson told the news source the town will remain vigilant for any other abnormal activity concerning the water infrastructure to avoid another incident like this.

Though hundreds of thousands of gallons of water were lost due to the Etowah' plumbing leak in, North Carolina's water conservation methods are paying dividends. According to a study by the state's environmental groups, including the Clean Water Management Trust Fund, every dollar spent on land and water conservation in North Carolina returns $4 worth of natural resources to the state.

Posted in Leak Detection Industry | No Comments »

Michigan water main breaks, floods residences

Friday, February 25th, 2011

One of the largest water leaks in Michigan this year happened in Kalamazoo, where many homes' backyards, basements and garages were damaged from substantial flooding.

Kalamazoo water operation supervisor Barry Boekeloo told the WKZO-TV the pipe break left nearly 100 homeowners and businesses without water. "Cold weather driving the frost down into the pipes and ground shifting causes the pipes to break" is how Boekeloo described the incident to the news station.

Also, Boekeloo told MLive.com that although almost a million gallons of water was leaked, a boil-water order was unlikely for local residents. The leak reportedly sprouted under a residential street with a steep decline, which caused the water to flow through the entire neighborhood. After leaking for more than 4 hours, authorities were able to fix the pipe.

Water infrastructure issues aren't the only problem for Kalamazoo County. More than 500 residents are reportedly without electricity, as a winter storm knocked down several power lines. WWMT-TV reports nearly 300 utility crews are working on power-line repairs in four counties.

Posted in Water Infrastructure News | No Comments »

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