An outdoor enthusiast with a passion for travel and adventure. John is a professional consultant and photojournalist.
Jonesborough officials are beginning to gain ground on the multiple water system failures. Officials reported the main water tank is now holding steady at 31 feet as of noon Thursday, December 29. Crews restored service to Embreville, Bumpus Cove, and Highway 107 - bringing approximately 1,000 customers back online. Officials continued monitoring the tank until 3 p.m. today before moving on to the Conklin Road area. Stainless Steel Pipe Flange
Out of an abundance of caution, a boil water advisory has been issued. Town officials say it is only necessary for those customers who have been without water to now boil water. As water service is restored to each area, the water department is collecting samples and will lift the boil water advisory once a negative result is received for each area. Those impacted should follow the town's Facebook page or sign up for alerts on the town’s website.
The South Fork Utility District has issued a boil water advisory in neighboring Sullivan County. This stems from what the utility calls customer line breaks and water towers falling below critical levels. They fear contamination in the system with the reduced pressure and have advised all customers in their service area to boil consumed water until further notice and to filter this water through a clean cloth before boiling to remove sediment.
The South Fork Utility District serves the East-Bristol, Weaver Pike area of Sullivan County outside of the Bristol city limits.
Multiple counties continue to report water system issues and boil water advisories. The Tennessee Department of Health confirmed 7 weather-related fatalities due to last weekend's winter storm in addition to the power and water issues Tennesseans experienced
The State's Emergency Operations Center is activated, and state personnel continues supporting local emergency management and public works officials to help with response efforts and resource requests. Last weekend significant infrastructure challenges arose as at least seven hospitals across the state experienced power and/or water issues.
The winter weather system made its way across Tennessee Thursday last week, bringing dangerous cold temperatures across the Volunteer State. As temperatures rose, local jurisdictions began experiencing multiple issues in their water systems. The State EOC (emergency operations center) is operating at Level 3, with Emergency Service Coordinators from many state departments staffing positions in the EOC to support local officials as needed.
The Tennessee Emergency Management Agency (TEMA) reports 34 counties to have issues with water systems within their jurisdiction. 12 of these have issued "boil-water-advisories." TEMA Regional Coordination Centers are operational in the West, Middle, East, and Southeast regional offices to respond to requests and interact with local emergency managers.
State officials suggest you follow guidance from the CDC if you are under a boil water advisory. This means you should use bottled water for drinking or cooking or boil tap water for 1 - 3 minutes and let it cool before use. This also means you shouldn't use water from sources connected to your water line, like ice and water dispensers in your refrigerator. Stay apprised of your local emergency management and utility company advisories for directions and the lifting of any advisories.
What causes water line breaks
Short Elliott Hendrickson, Inc. of Minnesota, says water main breaks happen for several reasons. Here are five simple reasons why breaks happen, whether age or accident, pressure changes or corrosive soils.
When contractors, utility workers, or even homeowners dig into the ground, they can unintentionally strike water pipes with their digging equipment. It can happen with a tool as simple as a shovel or, more commonly, heavy excavation machinery. The need for proactive research and careful construction cannot be overstated.
Older pipes are more likely to break. For example, water mains installed before 1980 were often made of cast iron. Cast iron can be brittle and not expand and contract effortlessly with temperature changes. When this happens, the pipes tend to crack. There are also older sewer pipes that are made of clay. This material also breaks easily. Water mains today are often made of ductile iron or plastic pipes to avoid such issues proactively. If your pipes are decades old, it may be time to examine their status.
The pressure inside a water main can change in several ways. One of the most common ways is through temperature changes, sometimes called thermal expansion. As the ground around a pipe freezes and heats, the pipes expand and contract – sometimes causing a rupture. Pressure changes can also occur when fire hydrants are opened or closed too quickly. This is called "water hammer."
Over time, as the soil around a water main settles, it can stress the pipes running beneath the ground. If the ground settles enough, the stress can break the pipe.
Some soils are corrosive and can eat away at pipes over time. This is especially common in iron and other metal pipes. Eventually, the corrosion causes the pipe to break. It often happens at pipe fittings or pipes that haven't been adequately protected from corrosion. The Ductile Iron Pipe Research Association (DIPRA) suggests polyethylene encasement as a popular, economical, and successful method of corrosion control. Some communities have opted to use pipes made of non-corrosive materials such as C-900.
What can you do when pipes break?
There are several paths forward when water mains break and cause problems in a community. Water main condition surveys help identify issues early on to avoid long-term issues. To assess the condition of water mains, engineers research physical, environmental, and operational factors to create a Forces & Issues (F&I) Matrix that identifies the range of potential alternatives for the replacement/rehabilitation of the mains.
The F&I Matrix helps identify potential problems, along with replacement/rehabilitation alternatives and their costs, to guide community rehabilitation priorities. Innovative methods like non-destructive testing and trenchless technology repair broken pipes without disturbing the ground around them.
An outdoor enthusiast with a passion for travel and adventure. John is a professional consultant and photojournalist.
More from John M. Dabbs
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