Even more than from my friends, a phone call from the city of Grants comes every 2-3 days about a water shut off, either planned or unplanned. Since I have experienced a few of these in the past, I am sure it is upsetting for many people in the community. So, a trip to the City offices.
To help me understand the big picture, Mike Childs [Pipes Dept. Superintendent], Jorge Mendez and Andrew Valencia [City Manager] kindly sat me down and explained the water pipe system and how it is being repaired. It was built about 50 years ago and extended as the population increased. The water lines are mapped and can be concrete, asbestos [assessed every month], iron or PVC. The pressure is high on Santa Fe Ave. and low at Roosevelt. It lacks adequate pressure reducing valves, air relief valves, looping systems, parallel lines, and isolation valves. This means that if there's a leak, the water can't be shut off for only a smaller area, the old pipes are under high pressure, water can be stagnant in the system, the water cannot be directed into a parallel line, and when the repair is completed, the returning water brings along highly pressurized air. [So, you should open the bathtub faucet first since it has the biggest diameter.] Why does it take so long to put in a valve or repair a leak? After they shut off the water, it takes 4 hours to drain the water in the pipes and then pump it out of the hole. And even before that, it is necessary to call 811 to get official clearance to dig, which can take 2-3 days or a week. Refilling the line must be gradual to minimize the air pressure in the line.
Who pays for this? It is the taxpayer. Grants got five million from the State capital outlay money and six million from USDA as a loan that needs to be repaid in 40 years. The complete repair of the system would cost eighty million.
So, what part of the system do you fix first? The area that has a history of constant leaks and the area with the oldest pipes is Mt. Taylor Addition and Santa Fe Ave.
The new system has improved pressure stabilization, increased water flow in the looping system, new supply lines and an additional number and types of valves. The next areas to improve would be Roosevelt, Sakelares Blvd. and Santa Fe Ave, from Fifth street out to the east side.
The city manager would like to pay off the debt to USDA so the next generation would not be bound by it. He feels that a temporary quarter cent tax earmarked for pipes and EMS could raise one million each year. He would also like the community to appreciate the complexity of the planning and funding of the projects and 'our good city workers' who get the job done.
It would be helpful if more people registered on the city's website's 'Code Red' icon to receive phone calls about water repair information. If there is no water, keep the bathtub faucet open since it is the largest and would minimize air pressure force when the repair is finished. It is also useful to keep several 5-gallon containers of water just in case and fill the tub if you know the water will be shut off.
Today's lesson: We feel entitled to always have water. An interruption only gives us a clue as to the fear of being without it.