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| Fragile infrastructure (Page 1/3) |
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MidEngineManiac
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NOV 10, 07:44 AM
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We had a power-glitch in the area yesterday. It went out for all of 4 minutes.
It happens all the time in rural areas. No big deal....usually.
Except, this time when the pumps at the water treatment plant went offline, then fired back up the pressure differential and sudden increase ruptured a major line supplying the entire town. A weak spot just waiting to go. Better now than in February, I guess.
We were without water most of yesterday, and while its back on we are under a boil-water advisory until they can figure out how many more smaller breaks and problems there are in the area.
It does kinda make ya wonder just how close to total failure (which NOBODY can afford to upgrade and prevent) all the underground infrastructure is. Most of the water and sewer lines were built in the late 1800's/early 1900's and have just been patched and added onto since. Once the underground wet stuff starts going, it starts taking out roads and poles with the wash-outs and sink holes, and we are completely screwed.
It's not just this town, the same condition exists all over North America.[This message has been edited by MidEngineManiac (edited 11-10-2022).]
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maryjane
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NOV 10, 09:40 AM
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I had 22 power outages in 2021, one of which I am pretty sure fried my ac compressor when the power came back on, but I couldn't prove it. $5000 bucks because the unit was R22... 
I've been here now 6 months and despite numerous thunderstorms and many days of high West Tx winds, my power hasn't flickered once but we did have a 'boil water' day when the boys over on Ft Hood dug into a big water main.[This message has been edited by maryjane (edited 11-10-2022).]
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TheDigitalAlchemist
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NOV 10, 10:36 AM
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I worry about this stuff, SO much of everything is very close to (or a bit beyond) it's lifespan. They have been digging up neighborhoods and replacing a lot of the sewers, gas lines, electrical, etc. but every now and then ya hear about (or its posted online somewhere) that a random house just explodes due to the old pipes...
In large cities, its kinda crazy how old everything is, they have been replacing a lot, but so much of it is deep 'down' or deep 'inside'. Not great.
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maryjane
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NOV 10, 11:24 AM
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| quote | Originally posted by TheDigitalAlchemist:
I worry about this stuff, SO much of everything is very close to (or a bit beyond) it's lifespan. They have been digging up neighborhoods and replacing a lot of the sewers, gas lines, electrical, etc. but every now and then ya hear about (or its posted online somewhere) that a random house just explodes due to the old pipes...
In large cities, its kinda crazy how old everything is, they have been replacing a lot, but so much of it is deep 'down' or deep 'inside'. Not great.
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So you're saying............................................. everything old is new again....
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TheDigitalAlchemist
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NOV 10, 11:33 AM
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| quote | Originally posted by maryjane:
So you're saying............................................. everything old is new again....
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I dunno, perhaps you tend to notice the slow decay of the infrastructure as your own body starts wearin' out
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theogre
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NOV 10, 06:06 PM
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That's not rare.
Just Water alone...
Philly and others still have 200+ year old Wood and Lead water mains and very often Fails.
Worse, The "demark point" where any service problem is You Problem is at the "Stinger Hole" in the main in Philly and often means Water Dept blames customers for any problems that need digging up the sidewalk and street.
In other places the Demark is external service valve somewhere on the property.
Many subdivision built in late 40's to 60's have Concrete Water Mains w/ Asbestos added to it. Recently one such "pipe" blowout a few houses down from me and fools cut the concrete w/o masks letting to breath Concrete and Asbestos...
EU and many other cities worldwide are as bad or Worse then US cities.
In NYC you have all of that and Con Ed Steam with huge problems too.------------------
Dr. Ian Malcolm: Yeah, but your scientists were so preoccupied with whether or not they could, they didn't stop to think if they should.
(Jurassic Park)
The Ogre's Fiero Cave
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MidEngineManiac
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NOV 10, 09:23 PM
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| quote | Originally posted by TheDigitalAlchemist:
. but every now and then ya hear about (or its posted online somewhere) that a random house just explodes due to the old pipes...
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They went to the cottage for some lockdown relief and summer fun, and tried to light the furnace.
https://windsorstar.com/ new...20adult%20residents.
Google "Wheatley Ontario" and see whats been going on there.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Petrolia,_Ontario
Last link is 10 min north of me, and yeah...
This whole area is a bomb we are sitting on. Earliest oil and gas fields in North America, long abandoned, and "things" are showing up.[This message has been edited by MidEngineManiac (edited 11-10-2022).]
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RWDPLZ
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NOV 10, 10:37 PM
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The infrastructure for the whole country is hanging by a thread. The amounts people pay in their bills every month are MORE than enough to properly maintain it, but guess where that money goes instead? There's no incentive to maintain it, just to keep it barely functioning.
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Raydar
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NOV 11, 07:43 PM
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Every time it gets really cold in Atlanta, pipes start bursting on the regular. It's not even surprising any more.
The interstates are pretty bad, in some places, but not nearly as bad as some other cities. Surface streets are about what you'd expect. Okay in some places. Crap in others.
Since I worked for the power company, I pay more attention to the "grid" side of things. I think Georgia and surrounds is okay. I see a lot of improvement/expansion/upgrades going on.
As for my area? Our house is very close to the end of this particular distribution line. If there's ever an ice storm, we're among the last to get our lights back.
Our gas is propane, and our water main was installed within the last 25 years (formerly on well water), so we should be good in that regard.[This message has been edited by Raydar (edited 11-11-2022).]
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Valkrie9
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NOV 11, 09:07 PM
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Atlanta, GA record cold
-8 F°
-22 C°
Yep, that's way cold.
So, buy a load of coal,
for your furnace, fireplace, hot water heater, in the emergency that is due this winter when the bottom falls out of the economy.
Flush your pipes, drain them, fill your fresh water reservoirs in freeze proof containers, for when the water supply fails, after the electrical grid.
Coal, the stuff that made America.
A few tons will get you to spring.
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