Rainworks Blog

North America’s Infrastructure Concerns:

A Los Angeles fireman looks under a fire truck stuck in a sinkhole in the Valley Village neighborhood of Los Angeles Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2009. Four firefighters escaped injury early Tuesday after their fire engine sunk into a large hole caused by a burst water main in the San Fernando Valley, authorities said.

(AP Photo/Nick Ut)

Our USA underground water infrastructure built 50-150 years ago has deteriorated to a point that leaking water also caused eroded and weak earth under our highways, again also causing sink holes. These leaking underground pipes cause increased pumping pressure to maintain household water pressure to our facets. Therefore we must increase carbon usage just to quench our thirst for water. This is causing so much STRESS; not only our daily lives, but certainly our pocketbooks. It is well known that much of President Obama’s stimulus expense will be used to repair our water resource infrastructure. In many cases necessary repairs will be impossible because it would require shutting down whole portions or sections of our cities for temporary (months) repairs. So new water infrastructure projects will be implemented beside the old rotten pipes, not by thousands of men with shovels, but by massive corporate machines, materials production, and of course; a Carbon Footprint.

According to the EPA, a leaky faucet that drips at the rate of one drip per second can waste more than 3,000 gallons of water each year.

And, by the way, if it’s the HOT water dripping, not only does it waste water but it also wastes energy. So, you could say the dripping hot water is wasting water and Energy!).  From: www.waterworld.com

Of the many minerals, elements, and chemicals found in our soil and water resources, is non-other than lead; it is one of the more harmful elements. Like mercury, another heavy metal, lead is a potent neurotoxin that accumulates in soft tissues and bone over time. Although Lead is a natural occurring element, it is however found in very very low concentrations in and near our water resources; rivers, reservoirs, and municipal wells. The strongest lead content is in the refined element used to solder or even make our water pipes in the former underground plumbing Infrastructure. Whenever water sits within a municipal or private public water system’s plumbing containing lead pipe or older soldered connections, that water leaches lead from pipes and our drinking water gains in lead concentration, and even more so if fluoride is used in the treatment process, making tap water dangerous.

• More D.C. Kids Had Elevated Lead Than Stated

• DC Metro Station Poll Center 2009-08-05 Pg 28 results: Do you trust assurances that DC’s tap water is safe to drink?

One response to that poll: “One of several techniques that D.C. WASA has used in its federally required lead-in-water testing since 2005 is pre-flushing the tap the night before the compliance sample was taken. This technique hides much of the lead that would come out in the water during normal use.”

The STRESS on municipal water systems and private public water systems can be greatly reduced through individual rain water capture methods. These would be the real localized shovel ready projects; individual sponsored alternative projects would aid the crisis within our communities, yes and even we can help reduce the governments grip on our society. Remember President Obama’s stimulus plan also offers up to $1,500.00 credit to help combat the nation’s energy crisis and that sum could be used for a 20% energy saving light weight heat reflective new roof, which at the same time could also provide the basis for a sustainable high quality rain water catchment infrastructure. Again, another localized man and shovel ready employment opportunity. (More later)

Associated Link:

• The Sinkhole Syndrome 

• A Mexico problem: Taps off for two million in water-starved Mexico City