Archive for July, 2012

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Pools should take repairs seriously after a high number of drownings this summer

Tuesday, July 31st, 2012

Lifeguards and parents agree that teaching a child to swim and learning proper CPR techniques to ensure swimming pool safety is important. However, pool owners should keep themselves informed of pool industry safety updates in lieu of a deadly summer. There have been 90 drownings since Memorial Day, and with the summer months not yet over, the number is expected to climb.

Steps that pool owners can take to make sure their piping is safe is to know for certain that they are free from an above ground pool leak. Fixing pool pipes can keep waves from rising unexpectedly, keeping children from wandering into unsafe waters.

According to The Virginia Graeme Baker Pool & Safety Act, every public and independent pool is also required to keep their pools and spas equipped with anti-entrapment drain covers. Checking the suction tubing and foundation damage of a pool can also be very effective in preventing drownings.

Reports conclude that more than 70 percent of the drownings this summer occurred with children younger than 5. Because young children are lightweight, they are even more susceptible to being pushed underwater, so making sure that pools are equipped with anti-vortex drain covers is very important allow kids to have a safe, fun time at the pool this summer.

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Crumbling water infrastructure is prevalent throughout the United States

Tuesday, July 31st, 2012

According to the American Society of Civil Engineering's current report card, the United States' water piping systems were given a D-. In a country known for building some of the greatest public water works projects, many citizens are recognizing the need for accurate leak detection for the nation's crumbling infrastructure.

Although some government officials have failed to recognize the need to repair many of these aging leaky pipes, the weather extremes in recent years are just as much to blame for infrastructure calamities like foundation leaks. The record-breaking heat the United States has been experiencing for the past decade has caused soil to shift, putting even more strain on the decrepit pipes, according to The New York Times.

Heat also gives rise to violent storms that can flood water pipes, overturn levees and can even cause an irrigation leak. Some proactive cities like San Francisco are taking these threats seriously. According to the source, they are spending close to $40 million to modify discharge pipes so that wastewater will not flow into the bay. However, heading into hurricane season might present problems for the rest of the country that is not diligent about fixing plumbing leaks.

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California governor’s water infrastructure plans met with scrutiny

Tuesday, July 31st, 2012

A massive public delta water project stretching from Sacramento to southern California has been proposed by federal officials and governor Jerry Brown, according to local CBS affiliate KCBS.

Despite the hopes of conserving water for farmers who have been suffering from drought for years, residents are concerned about the fragile ecosystem and the costs surrounding the project. The Interior Department estimated the project would cost $23 million, with a 37-mile-long series of tunnels running underneath the delta landscape. This project hopes to ensure that an irrigation leak would be a thing of the past for California farmers concerned about water conservation. The proposed project would stretch more than 3 million acres, giving farmers the water they desperately need to grow crops in the country's most populous state.

Critics worried about the possibility of this project raising their water bill remain skeptical. Although the results of the plan remain to be seen, agency officials from three major water districts agree that although the project is a big step for farmers, water bills are expected to rise anywhere from 10 to 20 percent from this project, according to the source.

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Buffalo suburb to ease residents’ tension concerning broken pipes

Tuesday, July 31st, 2012

A popular lodging destination close to Niagara Falls, the city of Williamsville, New York, is concerned about the cost of fixing plumbing leaks during a busy tourist season. Faced with a possibly large financial hardship, the city could use the benefits of accurate leak detection. The city has already taken great steps to encourage water conservation to limit costs as well, according to a local study.

According to The Buffalo News, residents will bear the brunt of these repair costs. The city's provisions indicate that if the leaky pipes are located "at any point between the water main and the water meter," the homeowners themselves are responsible for the repairs. This is especially troubling for those worried about a high water bill. Because some of these water mains are located near the end of a street, some citizens have had to dig up the majority of their yards along the roadways to repair the leaking pipes, sometimes costing thousands of dollars.

A proposed new law set for vote next month would limit costs by keeping the residents responsible for repairs from their meter to the valve shutoff, usually located within a few feet of a curb or sidewalk. The proposed law in conjunction with the Erie County Water Authority would ease tensions on homeowners already struggling with rising costs during a recession.

Posted in Leak Detection Industry, Plumbing Information, Water Infrastructure News | No Comments »

Sewer pipe in Miami a ticking time bomb

Monday, July 30th, 2012

Just months after a 60-year-old pipe ruptured near the beach, Miami is faced with even more sewer problems. According to Miami Today, a nearly 4-mile-long pipe carrying raw sewage is in danger of bursting.

"We're facing a catastrophic event if this happens," the director of the Miami-Dade County Water and Sewer Department told the source. "I don't know when it's going to blow … [but] we can't afford any delay."

This massive sewer repair project is facing costs of $55 million since the pipe runs along Miami Beach's sewer main. A densely populated and tourist-filled area, a sewer leak of this magnitude could cause the city to lose money in an area of Miami that generates considerable revenue for the local economy.

City commissioners agreed on a 9-2 vote to begin replacing the pipe with expectations of the public works project to be completed in 2013. By implementing accurate leak detection, Miami likely prevented what could have been a sewage disaster. In large cities like Miami, frequent sewer inspections are key to preventing damage to sewer lines.

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