Archive for December, 2011

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Boil advisory lifted for Goessel

Friday, December 30th, 2011

The Kansas Department of Health and Environment recently lifted a boil water advisory for Goessel in Marion County. The boil water advisory was originally implemented after the state's Department of Health and Environment discovered a main water line had sprung a leak in the town.

Goessel news source KSN reported the water main leak resulted in many residents experiencing reduced water pressure, and also increased the risk of possible contaminants entering the water system. The leak also caused chlorine residuals in the water to drop to inadequate levels. City officials said the water supply has been restored by the department, and it is now safe for drinking and other uses without having to be boiled.

According to the Hillsboro Star-Journal, the boil water advisory presented residents with instructions on how to prepare water before usage to ensure it was safe. The advisory recommended residents boil water for a minute before using, but boiling for more than three minutes could adversely affect the quality and taste of the water. The boiled water should only be used for drinking, diluting fruit juices and other food preparations.

Residents were also told to not use ice from household automatic icemakers, but rather fill ice cube trays with freshly boiled water. Further, dishes and other food contact surfaces should be disinfected for at least a minute in clean tap water that contains a teaspoon of household bleach per gallon of water used. The advisory said it was unnecessary to boil water used for bathing.

Posted in Water Conservation News | No Comments »

Water line break needs emergency repairs

Friday, December 30th, 2011

A water line recently ruptured in Sand Springs, Oklahoma, and was declared an emergency at a city council meeting shortly after. The city's water department received $125,000 to fix the leak at the intersection of Main Street and Morrow Road.

The Sand Springs Leader reported the leak was first discovered in late October when a problem with a tapping saddle from 2004 was found. City engineer Jessee Vaverka said having a leak in a saddle is the worst possible location because the repair demands specialty work that many companies do not perform. While city officials were finding an accurate leak detection company to fix the water line, Sand Springs crews tried to isolate the flowing water. However, for the repairs to occur successfully, crews will have to use a stopping device to control the leak.

Another water leak was recently discovered in a sewer line in Neshoba County, Mississippi. The Neshoba Democrat reported the broken sewer line is not related to an unidentified leak at the former U.S. Motors facility that dumped 300,000 gallons of water into the sewer in October. The facility is undergoing renovations, and, once those are complete, the leak will be located and fixed promptly.

Repairs to the sewer line break will be funded through a $1 million Community Development Block Grant that the city received to make repairs and upgrades on its older buildings before AlphaGen's plant moved into the city. One of the many projects being funded by the grant will be the repair to water leaks and the replacement of sanitary sewer service throughout the area, the source reported.

Posted in Water Infrastructure News | No Comments »

Water leak that hiked up water rates found

Friday, December 30th, 2011

A water leak was recently located in a pipe that has been releasing 72,000 gallons of water a day, costing the city of Garfield, New Jersey, $200,000 in increased water costs in the 2012 budget.

North Jersey reported the major water leak was found in a 30-inch pipe, and has been leaking for the past year. The superintendent of public works, Sam Garofalo, said when they found the leak, they exposed the pipe to see the extent of the damage, and officials believe 50 gallons of water are being lost every minute from the pipe.

Garofalo told the source the leak was undetected for so long because when a large leak occurs the street normally starts to cave in, which alerts officials to a damaged pipe. However, the excess water from this particular leak was trickling directly into the sewer lines and the the street did not cave in. Garofalo said a valve is needed to stop the leak.

Officials in Amarillo, Texas, recently encountered a similar situation when they found an unmapped 12-inch distribution line that sprung a leak. After discovering the leak, workers exposed the pipeline and inserted pressure closures on both sides of the fracture to seal it, the Amarillo Globe-News reported.

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Texas residents under water conservation rules

Friday, December 30th, 2011

The High Plains Underground Water Conservation District in Texas, recently implemented water restrictions on local residents set to go into effect in 2012. The water conservation rules will restrict excessive water usage for farmers as well as residents and businesses across the 16 counties that access water from the district.

According to the 10-year management plan, the district is working towards protecting natural resources, combating drought conditions and encouraging the most efficient use of groundwater. The district is also working to prevent waste of groundwater and subsidence. One of the main goals of the management plan is to maintain hydrologic data collection programs that allow officials to make informed decisions on the effective management of groundwater resources.

In addition, the Hilton Concord Hotel in the East Bay of San Francisco is undergoing significant renovations in an effort to provide a more sustainable experience for its guests. One of the many upgrades to the facility is a conservation effort to reduce the environmental impact of the hotel.

The hotel has installed 1.28 gallon flush toilets in the guest bathrooms, which use water more efficiently and reduce noise. The hotel is also using well irrigation to water its external landscaping, while conserving treated water that is used elsewhere in the hotel. The Ozone Laundry System was also implemented into the hotel, which uses less water.

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New leak detection guidelines issued in Pennsylvania

Thursday, December 29th, 2011

Pennsylvania utility authorities recently adopted new gas leak detection guidelines in an effort to increase monitoring during winter months.

According to The Associated Press, the Public Utility Commission customized the guidelines for each utility to improve pipeline safety and prevent explosions similar to a blast that killed five people in Allentown in February. The changes will improve safety without adding any financial burden onto residents.

Under the guidelines, UGI Utilities will survey all cast-iron distribution lines every two weeks between January 1 and March 31. They will also do an annual survey of all unprotected metallic service lines, and send out workers to survey special business and urban areas for leaks, the source reported.

And the guidelines cannot come soon enough. The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection recently labeled a natural gas and drilling fuel leak from a well was a serious incident and could have had catastrophic consequences. The 16-hour leak occurred after workers lost control of the pipeline when preparing to extract gas after hydrofracturing the shale, The Associated Press reported.

Posted in Leak Detection Industry | No Comments »

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