[homeles_ot-l] Watermain break downtown Ottawa

[Kelly O'Grady]

Subject: Watermain break downtown Ottawa


RE:  After 123 Years It Finally Blew, May 9, 2008


Dear Editor:

Ottawa is making progress: 200 kilometres of cast-iron pipe in 2008 is an
improvement from 15 years ago. In 1993 Ottawa-Carleton was the proud owner
of 1,062 kilometres of this type of watermain (Source: National Research
Council Canada. Water Mains Break Data on Different Pipe Materials for 1992
and 1993; 01 August 1995).  Cast iron pipes are sturdy and obviously
enduring.  The downside is that seams were typically joined using 200 lbs of
molten lead which given the right conditions can leach into drinking water.

Ottawa workers are repairing the old pipes - but Citizen reporter Jake
Rupert might want to investigate further to determine the method of repair.
Will these old pipes be joined with fresh molten lead?  

 

Kelly O'Grady, RN

Executive Director,

The First Six Years

219 Welland St.,
Pembroke, ON CANADA
K8A 5Y5
Tel: 613-735-0717
Fax: 613-732-2859

Email: lead at nrtco.net

Web:  <http://www.first6years.org/> www.first6years.org 

 

The First Six Years is a grass roots organization  whose primary mandate is
the promotion of optimal social, physical, and environmental conditions for
the development of healthy productive children.  We achieve this goal
through the use of  environmental monitoring and surveillance and public and
professional education.

 

We recognize that the first six years of a child's life is an important
period of brain and nervous system development.  Childhood, extending from
the prenatal period to approximately age five years is a time of rapid
growth and development.  This makes children highly susceptible to the toxic
influences of environmental threats such as lead, mercury, PCBs, pesticides
and ionizing radiation.  

---------------------------------


After 123 Years It Finally Blew


WHAT LIES BENEATH: The water pipe that burst downtown yesterday was
installed in 1885, before this photo was taken. Rupture highlights how
accounting decision 'shortchanged' public


Snarled downtown traffic due to two burst water pipes -- one of them 123
years old -- shows the folly of a city council budget decision to flip
provincial money aimed at repairing city infrastructure to general
operations, Bay Councillor Alex Cullen said yesterday.

 


Jake Rupert, The Ottawa Citizen


Published: Friday, May 09, 2008

Snarled downtown traffic due to two burst water pipes -- one of them 123
years old -- shows the folly of a city council budget decision to flip
provincial money aimed at repairing city infrastructure to general
operations, Bay Councillor Alex Cullen said yesterday.

The most serious burst pipe happened under Rideau Street in the westbound
lanes just west of King Edward Avenue early yesterday morning, forcing the
closing of Rideau Street during rush hour. The area is part of the major
trucking and commuter route between Eastern Ontario and West Quebec, and
although traffic didn't come to a standstill, delays were significant.

Traffic going west was detoured along York Street to Dalhousie Street, which
took about a half hour to get through. The city opened eastbound lanes of
Rideau Street at about 1:30 p.m.

City officials hope to have the 30.5-centimetre cast-iron pipe, which was
installed in 1885, repaired and the street reopened by rush hour this
morning. But it might take longer, said Dixon Weir, director of the city's
sewage and water systems.

Mr. Weir said the repair job will depend on what caused the rupture, and it
will take some time to determine that.

He said in 123 years, this particular pipe has never leaked or burst, but he
admitted that age probably did play a role in the situation.

"This section of pipe has worked perfectly since 1885, so it's worked quite
well," he said. "The materials are quite strong, but everything has a
lifespan. This one is quite old and you'd expect corrosion to be a factor
after that many years."

The second burst water pipe happened Wednesday under Elgin Street, outside
police headquarters. Yesterday, the street was closed in both directions
while crews dug up a section to repair the pipe. That pipe is made of
concrete and was laid in 1964. Officials hoped to have Elgin Street reopened
by late last night.

For the last year, city public works officials have been saying the
municipality is about $1 billion behind on repairs and replacement of
sewers, water pipes, roads, bridges and buildings

To help deal with this, council approved a special three-year, two-per-cent
property tax levy in this year's budget. At the time, the province also gave
the city $14.6 million for extra work, but council opted to take an equal
amount out of the repair fund and use it for general operations.

Mr. Cullen said residents and upper-tier governments need to realize there
is a serious and pressing need to have the work done.

"This is absolutely a sign of aging infrastructure," he said. "As long as
this situation is not addressed, you can expect things like this to happen."

The councillor said elected officials at the city "shortchanged" the public
by using the provincial money the way they did. He said the money could have
gone to fixing something like this pipe and avoiding a future problem.

"It always costs more to fix things once they are broken than to maintain
them or replace them when it's needed," he said.


Full story
http://www.canada.com/ottawacitizen/news/story.html?id=d7fd1f32-a399-4e19-b6
b2-5cc30d600fdf


C The Ottawa Citizen 2008


 

 

 

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