The Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority is pushing forward in its quest to move into a digital present — and future.
During a monthly meeting Friday Downtown, members of the water authority’s board approved contracts for small water main replacements, and extended a contract with SpryPoint Services that would now allow employees working on water main breaks to upload photos to an app, more easily documenting their work and progress replacing service lines.
“The ultimate goal is to spot trends,” said Will Pickering, spokesperson for PWSA. “We want to get as much data as we can about assets, pipes and sewer lines so we can respond proactively.”
PWSA in 2018 began allowing plumbers to enter their work digitally and document it, when documentation was previously handled by paper.
Mr. Pickering said things went so well, the authority will now allow technicians in the field to use the services and better monitor the replacing of water mains.
“We wanted to pilot it first to make sure it was something that could help us reach our goals,” Mr. Pickering said. “This improves our efficiency and makes staffers’ lives easier.”
Under an agreement with the Public Utility Commission, PWSA must replace at least 50,000 water meters in homes per year. Mr. Pickering said current analog meters will be replaced with meters that are more accurate and include a digital display.
PWSA interim executive director Robert Weimar said this is just the first step to getting a full blown asset management program.
“Now the [water main] break data is going to be immediately accessed into our systems,” Mr. Weimar said Friday during the meeting. “We will also have pictures of the various breaks in real time, so we can be able to evaluate the actual situation on the ground.”
On Feb. 1, Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro charged PWSA with 161 third-degree misdemeanors related to lead line replacements, alleging that the authority did not fully notify residents of potential health risks when it began replacing the pipes. The authority vowed to fight the charges, and waived its right to a preliminary hearing on March 6.
While there is no lead in water mains, Mr. Pickering said it makes more sense to replace entire water mains because more damage could be inflicted replacing individual service and lead lines. He said these lines are often over 100 years old.
To further help reduce corrosion and the leaching of lead, PWSA is preparing to release an additive into the city’s water supply.
The water authority’s interim director of engineering, Barry King, said Friday that they are still waiting for permits for the Department of Environmental Protection to begin storing and distributing the additive called orthophosphate — something they hope to begin next week. It is commonly used by water utilities to shield pipes from corrosion that causes lead to leach into water.
Lacretia Wimbley: 412-263-1510, lwimbley@post-gazette.com or follow @Wimbleyjourno on Twitter.
First Published: March 22, 2019, 10:03 p.m.
