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Posted on Thu, Oct. 22, 2009 10:37 PM
The Watchdog | Small water mains create big headaches
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The problem
Aaron Hynds complains that his Kansas City neighborhood, just south of Interstate 470 between James A. Reed and Raytown roads, was without water pressure for four days in September. Residents couldn’t flush their toilets, wash themselves or their clothing, or drink fresh tap water.
“We had a two-inch water main leaking and untold hundreds of gallons wasted,” Hynds wrote, noting that the Water Services Department was aware of the problem all that time.
Hynds reports that the gushing water created a big hole in the road at 103rd Street that remains unfixed. Meanwhile, he says, the small water main at 107th Street near Greenwood Road leaks constantly.
“The time for Band-Aids has passed,” he writes. “Fix this problem.”
The answer
The two-inch main in Hynds’ neighborhood has a history of breaks, says Colleen Doctorian of the Kansas City Water Services Department. (Indeed, Hynds notified the city and the Dog of another leak just last week.) These mains can hardly accommodate a garden hose and are a problem in many Kansas City neighborhoods.
Doctorian says an inspector initially identified the September leak as causing low water pressure, but it was upgraded to “no water pressure” after a few days. Crews then worked on the main and put it back in service, but it broke again and had to be repaired a few more times.
Doctorian said the department has changed its process to more rapidly upgrade a two-inch main’s status for repairs when water pressure is a problem.
As for the road work, the city had to identify additional funds to do those repairs. Doctorian said that money has now been obtained, and repairs to major roads will get first priority.
The Watchdog has much in common with those old water pipes: a long history of leaks and repairs that don’t last long.
Do you have a comment or question about a public issue? Write to The Watchdog, The Kansas City Star Newsroom, 1729 Grand Blvd., Kansas City, MO 64108, or send e-mail to watchdog@kcstar.com. Include your name, telephone number and city of residence.
Posted on Thu, Oct. 22, 2009 10:37 PM
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