Tube City Almanac

December 12, 2006

Water, Water Everywhere

Category: default || By jt3y

Remember when you could turn on your faucet and get water? Boy, those were the days.

Proving that no silver lining comes without a cloud, the recent warming trend caused the earth to move under our feet (cue Carole King), snapping water mains and leaving the taps dry.

I guess they're just not making 100-year-old cast iron pipes like they used to. On Saturday, parts of Evans Street and Versailles Avenue looked like the streets of Venice after a 12-inch main between the Centennial and Haler Heights storage tanks broke.

But that was a mere --- if you'll pardon the expression --- drop in the bucket compared to the ongoing adventures in creative toilet use that people on the other side of the river are now going through. Depending on where you live in West Mifflin, Homestead, Munhall or Whitaker, your water pressure has ranged from "pathetic" to "abysmal" to "non-existent" since Sunday.

It's not exactly a secret that the water and sewer infrastructure around most of the Mon-Yough area dates to the early part of the 20th century. While the gas, electric and telephone companies (even the fershlugginer cable TV companies!) have been systematically replacing their lines, our most important utilities are rusting away beneath our feet.

I don't know about you, but I can live without cable TV. Not being able to flush is another story.

I don't blame the local governments, either. In both McKeesport and the Steel Valley, the water systems were privatized years ago; the city's water system was sold to the Municipal Authority of Westmoreland County 20 years ago, while lines in the West Mifflin area have long been owned by Pennsylvania-American Water Company.

MAWC is an independent non-profit body while PAWC is a division of a giant German conglomerate called RWE.

Perhaps the state Public Utility Commission should be insisting that water mains be systematically replaced when they reach a certain age. And if money's an issue, perhaps all of this slot machine revenue that the Governor and the state Legislature say is coming could be diverted into low-interest loans and grants for water line replacement. A carrot-and-stick approach, in other words.

Oh, wait! The slot machine revenue is spoken for. It's going to float millions of dollars in bonds for a new hockey arena for the Pittsburgh Penguins.

In a couple of years, then, a bunch of Canadian and Russian millionaires will have a nice new building to ice-skate in, while people in Homeville and Munhall Gardens will still be hauling water home in buckets to flush their potties the next time a 100-year-old pipe breaks.

I hope that thought comforts those of you who have been running around in the shower for the past couple of days, trying to get wet as the water dribbles out.

. . .

Meanwhile, over in Picksberg, construction is underway on that $435 million transit tunnel under the Allegheny River. (And you thought Port Authority didn't know its you-know-what from a hole in the ground.)

The taxpayer-funded tunnel is designed to allow people to ride Pittsburgh's three-hole, three-stop miniature subway (hat tip: Peter Leo) to the baseball and football stadiums that you're also paying for.

At the same time, PAT is holding workshops to decide what routes it's going to cut next year to stave off a $19.5 million deficit.

How much do you want to bet that the Mon Valley takes it in the shorts again? You had better believe that light-rail service to Upper St. Clair and Mt. Lebanon is not going to be slashed.

. . .

Finally, from the Tube City Almanac's National Affairs Desk, the music goes 'round and 'round, oh-ho, oh-ho, oh-ho, and it comes out here. On the heels of the report issued by the Iraq Study Group, a blue-ribbon panel headed by former Secretary of State James Baker, the White House is writing its own study:

When the White House review began, the interagency group debated whether to try to beat the Iraqi Study Group's report or let it play out and then look "bigger and better" by doing a report later, said an official familiar with the discussions. It was agreed to wait. But the emphasis throughout the month-long process has been to produce a strategy that would be deliberately distinct, the official added.

The White House review does not have the depth or scope of the Iraq Study Group's, according to officials familiar with the deliberations. "There's a lack of thinking on other big issues -- oil, the economy, infrastructure and jobs," said one source who was briefed on the interagency discussions and requested anonymity because talks are ongoing. (The Washington Post)


In English: The White House appointed the Iraq Study Group to study Iraq, and is now getting ready to ignore their report and do whatever they wanted to do in the first place. Which, I guess, means more of the same.

Well! The Iraq Study Group was certainly a good use of time and money. How many soldiers, Marines and Iraqi civilians will die while the White House devises its next brilliant strategy?

It reminds me of a great-uncle I had who kept changing doctors. My grandmother said he was looking for one who would tell him it was OK to keep drinking. The President is looking for someone to tell him it's OK to keep Iraq bumping along from crisis to crisis ... at least until January 2009. I'm sure he'll find someone.

Since Baker was one of Poppy Bush's closest advisors, I suspect there will be a lot of uncomfortable silences around the Bush family dinner table this Christmas.

On the other hand, I'll bet their water will work just fine.






Your Comments are Welcome!

I think the Iraq Study group (you know the cut and run people) was created by Congress not the White House…so no matter what he was probably going to ignore it.

Seriously what does Poppy know? I mean he left Saddam in power right?

PPL
PPL - December 12, 2006



This just in … Penn-American claims water service in the West Mifflin area could be back to normal this afternoon, except for some “turbid” water.

I thought “turbidity” was the result of too many of those “make-your-little-guy-bigger” pills that the email spammers sell, but maybe I’m mistaken.

Here’s the full press release:

http://www.amwater.com/awpr1/paaw/newsroom/reports_notifications/page13171.html

(December 12, 2006 – 11:30 am Update) At approximately 3:30 p.m. yesterday, Pennsylvania American Water experienced a fourth water main break in West Mifflin area. The 30-inch main break, which is located on Interboro Ave. at Oakleaf Dr. (31st Ward), may result in a loss of pressure and/or water service to customers in the area.

Pennsylvania American Water crews have been working around the clock to complete repairs to the 30-inch main, including cutting in a new valve. It is estimated that the repairs will be completed in approximately the next hour and that water will be put back into the transmission main shortly thereafter. By mid-afternoon (3:00 p.m.), customers experiencing water service disruption or low pressure-as a result of the break and the repair work-should return to normal service. As customers come back into service, they may experience cloudy or turbid water. This is normal, and customers should run the water until it becomes clear before using.

Water tankers, in cooperation with West Mifflin Emergency Management and Munhall Emergency Management, continue to be stationed at the following locations and will be available around the clock until all customers are back in service. Customers are asked to supply their own containers. Locations include:

Mifflin Manor High-Rise at Duquesne Village Shopping Center
Homeville Fire Department on Green Springs Ave.
Carolina Ave. High-Rise in Munhall
St. Therese Plaza High-Rise in Munhall
Mifflin Road at Interboro Ave. (31st Ward – additional tanker added )

Pennsylvania American Water is still asking customers in the affected communities of Munhall, West Mifflin, Homestead, West Homestead and the 31st Ward to voluntarily reduce water usage until all customers are back in service.

For more information, contact Pennsylvania American Water’s customer service center at (800) 565-7292.
Webmaster (URL) - December 12, 2006



As PPL pointed out, Poppy probably did know something, like “history repeats itself.” His son, who really needs to go to a Sylvan Learning Center to acquire the skill of reading, has not paid one whit of attention to the lessons of history. The Late Great United States is going bankrupt repeating the mistakes of the USSR.

But yeah, you betcha the White House has running water.

Do you suppose, one day in the oh-too-near Future, when W is advised that “But Mr. President, the people have no clean water to drink!” that his response will be “Well, then let them drink Kool-Ade.”

Just wondering.
Lane - December 12, 2006



Well know I know why I have a rust flowing out of every water tap.

OT
“The Almanac conforms to the standards for accuracy and fairness proscribed in the Associated Press Stylebook and Briefing on Media Law.”

Do you know where Capt. Jamil Hussein is? The AP can’t find him anymore.
jrdroll - December 12, 2006



Well, I suspect “Capt. Hussein” crawled back under whatever rock he crawled out from under, but Lord knows how much garbage and misinformation he spewed.

Of course, it wouldn’t be the first time a reporter or a news organization was played for a sucker by sources.

As for the water —- it’s not supposed to come in “chunky” style, is it?
Webmaster (URL) - December 12, 2006



“As for the water —- it’s not supposed to come in “chunky” style, is it?”

No. But I’m concerned about the cummalitive damage that is done. All that rust ends up in hot water tanks. Perhaps after installing the new pipe the water company might turn the water on slowly so that in energizing the pipeline they don’t scour the existing pipe.

I like living in McKeesport.
jrdroll - December 13, 2006



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