Editorial Comment
Editorial by Tom Davey
The pipes, the pipes are appaiiing Massive inspection and rehabilitation programs needed
Imagineagourmetrestaurant where wonderful food is expertly pre pared by skilled chefs in a spotless kitchen. Then consider an unlikely
scenario where the same food is then
served from gleaming pots and pans on to chipped crockery and corroded uten sils. Unlikely? Perhaps. But this sce nario could be applied to our drinking water distribution infrastructure.
Not only are many water pipes and sewers badly in need of repair or re newal, but their leakage rate is quite as tounding to laymen. An Environment Canada Survey estimates that unaccountedfor water losses range from a low of 10 percent to a high of 35 per cent. This water, now treated to very high regulatory standards, has been known to leak from pipes which are of ten several decades old. Some of the
leaked potable water may then penetrate equally leaky sanitary sewer pipes. The insane result is that water which
has been expensively treated to potable standards, may make its way to the sewage treatment plant where it has to be treated once more - this
time as sewage - before dis charge into the same water body the water originally was
mendable records in reducing "unac
exponentially over time. Estimates of
counted for water losses." London,
unmet water and wastewater infrastruc
Ontario, using both large and small PVC pipe, also has reported excellent results. The trunk water mains serving MetroToronto - welded steel pipe encased in concrete- are another example of com mendable infrastructure vigilance and long-term thinking. Other municipali ties providing trunk distribution water services, have used high-quality, prestressed concrete pipe with similar re
ture needs range from $38 to $49 bil
sults.
Ultimately, reducing leakage could also save large amounts of money. One Canadian municipality with unac counted for water losses of only 12 per cent, saved almost $1 million per year using PRVs(pressure reducing valves). The PRVs ensured fire-fighting safety - while enabling overall nocturnal pres sures to be substantially reduced, so re ducing leakages. In an analysis of Canada's water and
lion. This is the capital needed to en sure that existing capital stock and serv ices are maintained," the Round Table said.
But in one recent Canadian water
utilities survey, 75 percent reported an annual pipe replacement program ofless than one percent of their total systems.
This represents a replacement cycle of in excess of one hundred years, so pipe systems put in before the Wright Broth ers took off might be due for renewal around AD 2003.
The most cost-effective long-term way to ensure the integrity of our water is to embark on massive inspection and restoration of those decrepid water and sewerage systems which are older than the humans they serve. While this will probably protect health more cost-effec tively than many preventative medical programs, it will also provide
By developing drinking water and sewerage systems in past decades, environmental scientists and engineers, it shouid be stressed, have done more to
reduce disease and deaths - especiaiiy in infants - than the medicai profession.
drawn from.
This corruption of potable water is at once a macabre duplication and dis tortion of nature's own hydrological cy cle which has purified water and air since our planet cooled and life forms emerged. It also makes a mockery of the term recycling. Then too, leaking sewer pipe discharges may penetrate groundwater supplies and contaminate well water.
While potholes in roads cause pub lic outrage and immediate political ac tion, equally neglected water and sewer pipes are out of sight and therefore, out of the public's mind. If the public could see what lies beneath the potholes, they would demand remedial action.
Thankfully, there are many munici palities that have maintained vigilant in spection and rehab programs for their infrastructure. Edmonton, Alberta and Belleville, Ontario are said to have com
wastewater system,the National Round
tens of thousands of skilled,
highly paid jobs in engineer ing, construction and manu facturing. Such infrastructure rehabilitation will be good for our economy, our health and the environment.
Like the Round Table, Health Canada also states that, in most
among the best in the world. Public health planning, coupled with the growth of municipal services has re sulted in a high quality water and wastewater infrastructure system in most parts of the country, the report said, but it left no room for complacency. It stressed that the lack of user pay systems in many regions and municipalities across the country discourages conservation of
cases, Canadians enjoy reasonably highquality tap water. I would like to stress that we pay less for our high-quality drinking water than almost any other country in the world. Japanese drink ing water, for example, can cost four times as much as we pay in Canada and many European countries have water bills that are double, even triple, what Canadians pay. By developing drinking water and sewerage systems in past decades, en vironmental scientists and engineers, it
water resources.
should be noted, have done more to re
"As a result, there is a large unmet need to maintain and refurbish existing
duce disease and deaths - especially in infants - than the medical profession. There can be no more effective way to continue this exemplary record, than by a massive inspection and rehabilita
Table on the Environment and the
Economy,noted that Canada's water and wastewater infrastructure services are
water and wastewater infrastructure,
particularly sewage capital stock. By ignoring this need for the last 15 to 20 years, governments have exacerbated the situation since repair bills rise
tion of our water and sewer infrastruc ture.
Other editorial comments by Tom Davey can be seen on ES&E's web site. http://www.esemag.com or reply by Email: esemag@istar.ca