[getsmart-l] Decrepit systems wasting water

[John O'Gorman]

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20070927.WATER27/TPStory/?query=water
ONTARIO LOSSES

Decrepit systems wasting water
MARTIN MITTELSTAEDT 

ENVIRONMENT REPORTER

September 27, 2007

Ontario's aging and crumbling water mains are in such a poor state of repair that they leak as much as 30 per cent of the drinking water they're supposed to be carrying, a report released yesterday says.

The estimate, made in a report commissioned by the Ontario Sewer and Watermain Construction Association, an industry group, was based on losses found at a representative sample of six municipalities with a total population of 1.1 million.

Losses of the magnitude found are unusual for a developed country and are more typical of the leakage rates reported in poor or developing countries.

The report says that if the experience of these municipalities is typical of other water systems across the province, the value of water lost each year would be about $164-million.

The losses occurred in Barrie, Chatham, Ottawa, Port Colborne, Niagara Falls and Thorold.

Although all water systems have some leakage due to water-main breaks and illegal hookups, losses above 10 to 15 per cent "are considered by many in the industry to be unacceptably high and preventable," the report says.

The water leaking from the pipes flows into underground aquifers.

"Potable water is too valuable a commodity to be allowed to leak back into the surrounding groundwater, not to mention the possible health risks that may be attached to a leaky water system," the report says.

It says that municipalities have to charge higher rates to offset the costs of providing for water that is wasted.

The report calls on the Environment Ministry to develop an "unexplained water loss threshold" to which municipalities would be held accountable. Those with leakage above the threshold would have to develop plans for staunching the flow.
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