Atlanta is still losing a lot of water to leaks
According to an article on 11Alive, Atlanta is still losing about 17 million gallons of water every day due to leaks. In fact, Popular Mechanics considers the Atlanta water system to be one of the “10 Pieces of U.S. Infrastructure We Must Fix Now“. That’s never good news, but it’s even worse when you consider the drought.
The city says that they’re repairing about 800 leaks per month, and the amount of water being wasted drops by about 1% per year. As Janet Ward, of Atlanta Watershed Management says:
“The problem with the system that as big and as old as Atlanta’s is, you’re never going to repair the last leak. There is always going to be another leak.”
These leaks are a bigger waste of water than the water you flush down your toilet. As we’ve said before, water going down the drain isn’t necessarily “wasted”. However, water that ends up in your grass (or leaking out of pipes underground) won’t be recaptured by the watershed anytime soon, if ever.
Does anyone know if the city has plans to accelerate the improvement of our water infrastructure?
April 12th, 2008 at 1:27 am
Hey, I sent you that article. *shakes fist of murderous rage and fury*
14% seems like a lot, but I’m a tad concerned with the “average” city having a 10% leakage rate. Both those numbers, while probably valid, sure seem high. That’s a lot of water not getting to where it’s supposed to.
April 12th, 2008 at 1:11 pm
>”the amount of water being wasted drops by about 1% per year.”
Oh goody! In 100 years there won’t be any apreciable amount of water being wasted. I can hardly wait.
April 12th, 2008 at 1:48 pm
If it was a true 1% reduction each year, then even after 100 years we’d still be losing about 5% of the water each year (100 years of a 1% annual decrease leaves about 37% of the original value).
April 12th, 2008 at 9:51 pm
This has absolutely nothing to do with this thread, but I just wanted to t hank you for your blog. It site. I just stumbled on it today and am now going to check it regularly. Thanks! (I’m not sure my husband thanks you because I keep saying, “Hey, look at this!”)
April 12th, 2008 at 10:01 pm
April 14th, 2008 at 10:42 am
The way I read the article, it seemed to me that they were saying, “Atlanta is spending a lot in infrastructure and is cutting that 14% down by 1% a year” - 14% in 2008, 13% in 2009, 12% in 2010, etcetera.
Yeah, cutting back by 1% of the total each year would not be much to cheer about: 14%, 13.86%, 13.72%…
April 14th, 2008 at 9:50 pm
The good news is that the sales tax increase was renewed during the primary voting earlier this year so Atlanta will be able to continue the repairs (link for the doubters). There currently bursting sewer pipe outside my building now: I love that the city of Atlanta is at least trying to deal with the problem, sure they could be faster but at least they’re doing something. My impression is that infrastructure replacement is a difficult sort of thing to deal with and takes a long time to make significant gains. I noticed in the original PM article they said that the losses in Atlanta wasn’t isolated but a problem throughout the country — e.g. I’m sure New York has pipes as old as the 1897 one that was just replaced in the article I linked to.
April 14th, 2008 at 11:56 pm
Gee,they couldve spent the money they wasted on that new statue of commie Andrew Young on repairing the %$!@&%@!! infrastructure…
April 15th, 2008 at 5:28 am
SOUthside Steve - ANDREW YOUNG IS NOT A COMMIE! BGAAAWKWKWKWKWKW
WHY DON’T YOU AND CAROLL MOVE TO FLORIDA WHERE THEY APPARENTLY HAVE PLENTY OF OUR WATER
BGGAWWKKKKKKKKKK
April 17th, 2008 at 7:21 am
Andrew - You say that you love that the city of Atlanta is at least trying to deal with the problem.
The thing is, you shouldn’t have to love your city for that. A busted sewer pipe is a busted sewer pipe. You pay taxes, they should fix it. Loving that they’re doing it suggests that they’ve not done it for so long, or done it poorly for so long, that you’re relieved they’re doing something at all.
:/
April 17th, 2008 at 9:32 am
Yes rkolter, you’re right, they should have been doing this all along, but better late than never (hopefully).
May 21st, 2008 at 10:56 pm
[...] toward a $4 billion project to improve the city’s water and sewer system. Atlanta has been showcased as a city in dire need of repair in those areas, so the plan has some merit. In addition, the higher rates would likely help to curb usage and [...]
June 1st, 2008 at 9:53 pm
Has anyone noticed that water in the city of Atlanta is smelling and tasting grasssy/muddy lately? I noticed this in my house near buckhead, at Georgia Tech, at Atlantic Station cinema, and and Tap restaurant. It tastes and smells like grass and mud since the middle of last week. Who do I need to contact to report this?