THE WATER LINE December 2000  Volume 3, Issue 3

Bingham Lake Trail Days Set for Next Summer

There is a new trail being planned around Bingham Lake. Bingham Lake is owned by the Pinery Water and Wastewater District, and we lease it to the Pinery Homeowner's Association for recreational use. Douglas County Parks and Open Space has come forward with funding to design and construct a trail around the Lake. To maximize the available funding we are hoping to build a majority of the trail with volunteer labor, so mark your calendars for June 2, 2001. This is National Trails Day, a day where volunteers around the Country build and maintain trails. The preliminary plans for the trail can be viewed at the Pinery Homeowner's Association Office. The plan is to build a trail around Bingham Lake, construct a shelter and improved parking at the Dam, and build a smaller parking area near the playground on Thunderhill Road. Coordination of Volunteer Labor for June 2 will be through the Pinery Homeowner's Association.

Maintenance Building Update

In early August the District started construction of your new maintenance building. This addition will allow for more efficient maintenance of your equipment. We have allowed for several parts storage areas to better control purchasing and tracking of parts we currently have in stock. The District will have areas for pipe storage to keep pipe out of direct sunlight. The building is currently in the final phases of exterior wall construction. The building can be seen from Parker Road, towards the back section of the Water Reclamation Facility, just east of the Biosolids pad.

It is anticipated that we should be able to occupy the building in mid to late December of 2000. We are all very excited for completion and move in. The District planned on the winter completion date to take advantage of our off peak time of the year, allowing for a more organized move in and set up schedule.

Several other projects have been completed during the same period including the addition of several sidewalks, and two secondary containment areas for chemicals and water hydrant replacements. The District has found that several small projects can be attached to a primary contract and provide a cost saving to the ratepayers of the District.

If you would like additional information regarding any of the Districts projects or tours of any of the Districts facilities please call 303 841-2797

Divers In the Pinery??

Storage Tanks
The water that comes out of your tap has taken a long journey to get there. First, water is pumped from wells within the District to an underground concrete storage tank called a clearwell. There, the water is treated before we pump it to the distribution system. The distribution system is a network of underground pipelines that deliver water to your home. Within the distribution system there are six underground concrete storage tanks ranging in size from 175,000 gallons to over 2,000,000 gallons and having a depth of 18 to 24 feet. These storage tanks provide water storage to meet peak summertime flows and help with fire flows. They are also essential during a power outage when we cannot deliver water through our wells and pumps.

Cleaning
Over a period of time, sediment from minerals found naturally in water deposit inside the storage tanks. By routinely cleaning the storage tanks, the minerals are removed from inside the reservoirs, which improves water quality delivered to you.

Cleaning and Inspection Method
The District uses a commercial diving contractor to clean and inspect the storage tanks. They specialize in cleaning and inspecting reservoirs and tanks and have worked for many water utilities throughout the country. By using a diver, the reservoir can remain in service during the whole process. Before entering the reservoir the diver and all apparatuses entering the water are sterilized. The diver cleans the floor and walls using a specially patented pumping system. During the cleaning, inspection and repair process, the diver is equipped with a TV camera that sends video to a trailer where the whole process can be monitored. During the entire process a District representative is present to guide the diver on what to check and what repairs should be made.

Inspection and Repair
After the diver has completed the cleaning process they inspect the condition of the storage tank. The diver inspects all seams and joints in the concrete for signs of deterioration. The inlet/outlet and drainpipe condition is checked as well as the access ladder. During the recent inspections, the divers found a few minor problems that they were able to repair.

Conclusion
The contractor reported that all the storage tanks were in good shape for their age. From their inspection we have determined that we need to replace the ladders in several tanks and perform general maintenance. These repairs will be made over the next couple of years. The repairs will involve taking the storage tanks out of service for a brief period while maintenance and ladders are installed.

Oh, no! No water?

Winter is here and almost every year we receive calls from homeowners with no water due to freezing. Last winter 80% of the frozen water lines the District responded to were in the house rather than outside. Water service lines are buried about 5 feet deep and rarely in this part of Colorado does the frost get that deep. If an outside pipe freezes, it is most likely to occur in the sprinkler system that has not been winterized or in the meter pit. Most water meters in the District are installed in a meter pit outside near your property boundary. The ground temperature at the bottom of the meter pit generally keeps the meter from freezing and the meter cover is designed to insulate the meter from the surface temperature. Unless the weather has been cold for a long period of time, most freeze-ups do occur within the home, unfortunately either when you wake up to get ready for the day or when you return home.

The slightest draft near plumbing lines during cold weather can freeze the water line inside your home. Every homeowner should check where their water service line enters the home and follow the piping. If the piping is near the outside wall, it may be subject to freezing. Small gaps in the exterior woodwork just above the top of the foundation or basement wall are the usual culprits. These gaps allow cold air from the outside to enter the room or the space between an interior finished basement wall and the exterior wall. If your water line is in this area and cold air enters, it may freeze the water line. This is especially true when there is no water usage (as when homeowners are on vacation) and the water in the line has lots of time to freeze. Properly insulating the water line from the cold air and caulking seams or holes near the piping greatly improves your chances of having uninterrupted water service in cold weather. You should have someone check your home and run water occasionally if you are away on vacation or not occupying your home during cold weather. Pipes that freeze often split or break and when they thaw out can cause extensive damage to your home.

If you have no water, call the District at 303-841-2797. A District Representative will come to your house and check to see if there is water to the meter. If they determine that water flows through the meter, you will probably need to call a plumber or determine where the problem is yourself.

We hope you have a Happy Holiday Season and the water keeps flowing.

TV Inspections & Manhole Raisings In Progress

During the months of November & December, the District will be conducting cleaning and TV inspections of the wastewater collection system. Our program goal in 1997 was to inspect approximately one third of the original Pinery lines per year. This round of inspections on approximately 13 miles of pipe will nearly complete our initial program schedule. From this inspection data, the District is identifying problems and scheduling repairs as required. The District also will be scheduling cleaning on a rotational basis, not to exceed 3 years. New lines will be rotated into the schedule as more services come into use. All new construction is TV inspected as it is completed. This gives us a baseline reference point.

The District is also identifying and raising manholes that have been paved over in past years. It is critical to uncover all accesses to the collections system so we can maintain it and keep it free of blockages.

Neither of these projects, cleaning & manhole raising, should interrupt service to homes. We will, however, be working in the streets, so please be aware of our presence and drive carefully.

District Wins Award

The District received a Community Outreach Award at the Special District's Association Annual meeting in September. This award recognizes outstanding efforts in communication with District customers. The award recognized our newsletter and the educational tours that we offer of our facilities. Tours of District facilities can be arranged by contacting our office.