City water leak fixes show results, authorities contend
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A push to plug leaks in Pittsburgh's water system is starting to show results, according to Water and Sewer Authority officials.
Among the most public changes is a reduction in the amount of water flowing into so-called Lake Carnegie, below the Highland Park Reservoir. The authority has gradually reduced the flow of treated water into that popular pond from 80 million gallons per year to 20 million gallons.
"We're maintaining the same aesthetic look," with one-quarter of the flow of treated water, said authority Vice Chairman Robert Jablonowski, who heads its task force on reducing water loss.
The authority last month pumped just over 60 million gallons of water per day, down several million gallons per day from the same month last year, and even further below a five-year average. That is in part due to a nine-month, stepped-up effort to root out leaks, said authority Executive Director Michael Kenney. The authority has increased its leak detection staff, among other measures, he said.
The effort is about to take a new turn -- many turns, actually -- with the imminent start of testing and repair of an untold number of valves throughout the system.
The authority in July hired Illinois-based firm Wachs Valve and Hydrant Service to locate, close and open, evaluate and repair all valves of 12 inches or greater. Work will start shortly under a $777,145 contract.
Mr. Kenney said that system's many faulty shut-off valves make it hard to turn off the flow to fix leaks.
The authority in 2008 was able to bill for just 42 percent of the 72 million gallons per day it produced, with the balance either lost to leaks, or given away to the city or a handful of nonprofit institutions that get free water.
A fraction of the loss comes from city water fountains that run constantly, some all year, others only during the warm months. Mr. Jablonowski said he tested one Schenley Park water fountain and calculated that it wastes 59,000 gallons of water each month. He said the authority was urging the city to gradually replace such fountains with new ones that have on-off switches.
Larger losses may come from the big transmission lines that run throughout the city. Mr. Jablonowski said testing of one line under the Monongahela River suggested that leaks were allowing treated water into the river.
The authority is considering hiring a contractor to test large lines and to use gunite -- a form of concrete applied at high pressure that coats the inside of pipes -- to plug the leaks.
"We're on a mission to correct these leaks," he said, "because that's treated water, and that's money."
First Published October 12, 2010 12:00 am
