Archive for March, 2011

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Alberta hockey rink closed after leak from refrigeration

Tuesday, March 29th, 2011

In Fort Saskatchewan, Alberta, a public hockey rink at the Dow Centennial Centre has been shut down after a slab leak was discovered, the Fort Saskatchewan Record reports.

The newspaper states the skating rink's refrigeration system failed and began leaking glycol through the cement beneath the rink.

"The problem is in the ground under the ice surface," Chris Cambridge, the city's general manager of public works, told the paper. "We don't know exactly where, but by turning valves on and off, we know it's somewhere under the leisure ice." He added that the city will no longer use glycol after repairs are made.

Though glycol can be harmful environmentally, Cambridge told the paper that he doesn't expect any issues to arise from the leak.

Cimco Refrigeration, which installed the system in the Dow Centennial Centre, states on its website that it put in an energy-efficient "ice battery" to cool the hockey rink. The glycol used is cooled to keep the rink frozen, and heated up for other areas of the complex.

Posted in Water Infrastructure News | No Comments »

Slab leaks affecting Georgia neighborhood

Tuesday, March 29th, 2011

Several Pooler, Georgia, residents have experienced slab leaks after pipe breaks in the concrete began flooding their residences, reports WSAV-TV.

"We noticed we had a bunch of water at the perimeter of the house in the backyard area and at first, we thought it was our sprinkler system, and we found out that's not what it was," resident Darryl Anderson told the station. Anderson, who has had five leaks happen in his home, is one of 10 Pooler households which have dealt with slab leaks over the past year.

According to the news station, many of the residents blame a contractor for poor workmanship with their properties. One homeowner has spent thousands of dollars on leak repairs, the station says.

The station reports a plumber told Anderson and the other homeowners with slab leaks that they're occurring due to the use of copper pipes and acid levels in local soil.

Another water issue facing Georgia residents is water conservation. A survey from the Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District reports water use declined in the state between 2000 and 2009 after Georgia officials implemented various water conservation methods during that span due to an increasing scarcity of water resources for the state's increasing population, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports.

Posted in Plumbing Information | No Comments »

Sewage leak to be repaired by Massachusetts utilities

Tuesday, March 29th, 2011

Two sewage pipes which have been leaking wastewater into the Westfield River in Massachusetts, will reportedly be repaired after a public outcry called for officials to take action.

Though the official cause of the leaks from the 10-inch and 20-inch water lines is unknown, many local residents are worried about the substanital amount of sewage leaking into the river.

"That worries me and worries my son who is studying environmental policy at UMass," Feedings Hill resident Paul Piquette told WWLP-TV. "I think it's important we as citizens contact the proper authorities and have it checked out." According to The Republican, the sewage was leaking into protected wetlands.

Catherine Skiba, regional spokesperson for the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection, told the newspaper she is working with the local DPW to stop the sewage leak. However, she added the MDEP doesn't know if any local wildlife has been affected by the leak.

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Illinois water expert predicts regional demand to double by 2050

Monday, March 28th, 2011

Projecting the regional population in northern Illinois to increase by nearly 40 percent by 2050, Lake County planner Phil Rovang stated demand for water will likely increase two-fold by the century's midpoint, the Lake County News-Sun reports.

Rovang spoke at the College of Lake County about the region's prospects of possibly having to implement water conservation methods as the population rises substantially over the next few decades.

"It's a precious resource that must be planned for and conserved for future generations," Rovang said. "It can't be taken for granted." He added that while water is currently an abundant resource today in northern Illinois, that's not the case in many other parts of the country and may become a reality in the region soon.

Illinois Indiana Sea Grant water resource economist Margaret Schneemann said the states are relying on utilities to enforce and encourage water conservation methods to their customers as part of their long-term water-saving plans.

Posted in Water Conservation News | No Comments »

British Columbia city officials excited about savings from water conservation

Monday, March 28th, 2011

Water conservation has proven to be helpful to Richmond, British Columbia, residents, reports the Richmond Review, as several homes in the city have taken advantage of the city's water meter program, which allows customers to monitor the water they use.

According to the paper, three out of every five homes in Richmond is utilizing strata complexes on their water meters, which accurately detail the amount of water each household and building uses. In addition to becoming a new water conservation measure for the city, officials are also happy to see considerable money savings.

"We hope to save $14,000 this year in water bills," city councilor Greg Halsey-Brandt told the paper. "It's quite a savings. We're really blown away." He added that residents are becoming more aware of how much water they use during showers and when flushing, which has helped with Richmond's water conservation.

The Vancouver Sun reports West Vancouver and Langley City require the installation of the strata complexes to residents' water meters, whereas the program is voluntary in Richmond.

Posted in Water Conservation News | No Comments »

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