I found the following article online and it is similar to one I posted earlier. This time though, there was no risk of contamination. I am curious to know what others think after reading the article. Is this a commercial dive operation or a public safety dive operation? Please respond to the POLL above after reviewing the following.
Water break drains Shreveport
Intake pump pipe bursts, cascades for hours
January 11, 2008
Workers try to repair a massive leak Thursday at Shreveport's Amiss Water Purification Plant. (Greg Pearson/The Times)
WHAT HAPPENED
A coupling on a 2-foot-diameter discharge pipe at the Amiss Water Purification Plant north of downtown Shreveport burst early Thursday apparently during a maintenance operation causing water pressure to plummet across the city, which then forced officials to issue a boil advisory.
By John Andrew Prime
jprime@gannett.com
Shreveport city department heads will meet today armed with information and timelines concerning Thursday's water plant pipe break to assess what happened and how long a boil advisory for Shreveport may last.
"I've asked my people to pull everything together and get together with me," said Mike Strong, director of operational services for the city.
A coupling on a 2-foot-thick discharge pipe at the Amiss Water Purification Plant north of downtown Shreveport burst early Thursday apparently during a maintenance operation � causing water pressure to plummet across the city.
As the normal 40 to 80 pounds of pressure in lines dropped to under 30 pounds, city officials issued the boil advisory. That's a step below the more serious boil order, which is issued by state health officials and would have kicked in, Strong said, if the pressure went under 15 pounds per square inch.
Schools, businesses, homes and hospitals were left with little or no water from just before 8 a.m. through early afternoon.
Pressure returned incrementally just after 1 p.m., after three teams of fire department divers took turns manhandling huge flooded valves to shut off backflow that geysered three stories over a pump at the water plant on the eastern shores of Cross Lake.
"We can't flush a commode, we can't take a shower, we can't wash dishes, we can't wash period," said James Lee, who lives on Old Blanchard Road just across from the water plant. "This is the first time I can remember this happening, and I've lived here 18 years."
The situation in his Lakeside Acres house was mirrored across the city. People jammed stores buying bottled water and Caddo public schools closed early. They remain closed today. Some private schools also closed.
"The health of our children is of extreme importance," a release from the Caddo Parish School Board late Thursday said. "We will be working with the city of Shreveport to perform water purification test(s) prior to reopening of schools."
The water gushing at the plant was treated water, not lake water, flowing back into a 10 million-gallon-per-day pump that had been shut off for the scheduled replacement of a backup valve, said Darin Fortenberry, plant manager.
The pump had been shut down and electricity cut off, but for reasons still under investigation a number of valves preventing millions of pounds of city water already in lines and holding tanks, and under pressure from other pumps still in operation, were not turned off.
"The discharge valve was closed, but as they were cutting the bolts off, the back pressure from the system blew the fitting loose at the coupling," Fortenberry said.
He said the geyser could have been reduced within minutes had all the pumps been turned off, but that would have left the city with zero water pressure for several hours.
"We want to keep a positive pressure in the lines at all times," Fortenberry said.
"If we ever drain the lines, we create new problems," said Strong, who directed operations at the Amiss plant Thursday.
At several valve locations across the Amiss acreage, workers with huge water keys turned off underground valves, slowly cutting off the backflow.
"If it was that easy, we'd have done it long ago," Strong said.
Workers also tried to get access to the manhole covering an underground vault with huge valves controlling the main flow of water from the pump to the treatment facilities. But the volume and current of the water made that impossible, so the call went to Shreveport Fire Department for its dive team.
Three pairs of divers took turns entering the valve area, expecting to find two of the huge controls but instead found six. With the compartment flooded, these were underwater, and the darkness and physical demands of the task were draining.
"The difficulties were the temperature of the water and the velocity of the water," said Fire Capt. Kerry Foster, a veteran diver. The valves were under about four feet of water, and water was pouring onto the heads of the divers as they worked.
"It may not sound like much, but it was," said Foster, who was part of the final pair that went in wearing "dry suits" that made the work more tolerable. "It was a piece of cake for me, but we had some younger guys working."
In addition to the cold, the task was physically challenging. The manual valves had wheels sometimes measuring several feet across, with very fine threads.
"Some of them require 100 to 200 turns to shut off," Fire Department spokesman Brian Crawford said. "Put yourself underwater as a diver having to turn the valve that many times."
Some of the valves stuck and required further exertion or the use of "cheater" bars to turn, he said.
Had the problem lasted longer, the situation could have been more serious.
"The Emergency Operations Center at the 911 Center was ramped up during the event because of the potential for it becoming worse," Crawford said. "Plan 'B' was to shut off all the pumps, which would have stopped all water pressure in the city for one or two hours."
Fire services were prepared for the worst. Several pumper trucks were kept on standby, Crawford said.
The water pressure drop, he sad, "could affect our operations fighting a structural fire."
But city firetrucks normally carry 500 gallons, and several trucks normally go to house fires, more to commercial blazes.
"They normally can handle it," he said.
Barksdale Air Force Base, which gets its water from Shreveport but can shunt to Bossier City water if necessary, was told shortly after noon that its water was not affected, a 2nd Bomb Wing representative said.
Though the coupling was repaired shortly after the water geyser stopped, there are lingering effects.
Overnight, city crews drew water samples for testing from stations throughout the city. The results will help determine how soon the boil advisory will be lifted.
Even if it is lifted today, it has had ripples through the community.
Residents in areas as scattered as North Highlands and far south Shreveport reported sudden water pressure changes between 7:30 a.m. and 8 a.m. Thursday.
Stephanie Saunders, who lives south of LSUS, noticed lower water pressure at her home about 8 a.m.
"I really hope it gets fixed (Thursday) afternoon/early evening," Saunders said via e-mail.
Diane Mirvis also responded via e-mail, noting that she had almost no water at her Highland home between 8 a.m. and 9 a.m.
"I understand how greatly this impacts the city, but pictures of people during Katrina begging for water keep running through my mind," Mirvis wrote. "I think that helps put things into perspective."
Water break drains Shreveport
Intake pump pipe bursts, cascades for hours
January 11, 2008
Workers try to repair a massive leak Thursday at Shreveport's Amiss Water Purification Plant. (Greg Pearson/The Times)
WHAT HAPPENED
A coupling on a 2-foot-diameter discharge pipe at the Amiss Water Purification Plant north of downtown Shreveport burst early Thursday apparently during a maintenance operation causing water pressure to plummet across the city, which then forced officials to issue a boil advisory.
By John Andrew Prime
jprime@gannett.com
Shreveport city department heads will meet today armed with information and timelines concerning Thursday's water plant pipe break to assess what happened and how long a boil advisory for Shreveport may last.
"I've asked my people to pull everything together and get together with me," said Mike Strong, director of operational services for the city.
A coupling on a 2-foot-thick discharge pipe at the Amiss Water Purification Plant north of downtown Shreveport burst early Thursday apparently during a maintenance operation � causing water pressure to plummet across the city.
As the normal 40 to 80 pounds of pressure in lines dropped to under 30 pounds, city officials issued the boil advisory. That's a step below the more serious boil order, which is issued by state health officials and would have kicked in, Strong said, if the pressure went under 15 pounds per square inch.
Schools, businesses, homes and hospitals were left with little or no water from just before 8 a.m. through early afternoon.
Pressure returned incrementally just after 1 p.m., after three teams of fire department divers took turns manhandling huge flooded valves to shut off backflow that geysered three stories over a pump at the water plant on the eastern shores of Cross Lake.
"We can't flush a commode, we can't take a shower, we can't wash dishes, we can't wash period," said James Lee, who lives on Old Blanchard Road just across from the water plant. "This is the first time I can remember this happening, and I've lived here 18 years."
The situation in his Lakeside Acres house was mirrored across the city. People jammed stores buying bottled water and Caddo public schools closed early. They remain closed today. Some private schools also closed.
"The health of our children is of extreme importance," a release from the Caddo Parish School Board late Thursday said. "We will be working with the city of Shreveport to perform water purification test(s) prior to reopening of schools."
The water gushing at the plant was treated water, not lake water, flowing back into a 10 million-gallon-per-day pump that had been shut off for the scheduled replacement of a backup valve, said Darin Fortenberry, plant manager.
The pump had been shut down and electricity cut off, but for reasons still under investigation a number of valves preventing millions of pounds of city water already in lines and holding tanks, and under pressure from other pumps still in operation, were not turned off.
"The discharge valve was closed, but as they were cutting the bolts off, the back pressure from the system blew the fitting loose at the coupling," Fortenberry said.
He said the geyser could have been reduced within minutes had all the pumps been turned off, but that would have left the city with zero water pressure for several hours.
"We want to keep a positive pressure in the lines at all times," Fortenberry said.
"If we ever drain the lines, we create new problems," said Strong, who directed operations at the Amiss plant Thursday.
At several valve locations across the Amiss acreage, workers with huge water keys turned off underground valves, slowly cutting off the backflow.
"If it was that easy, we'd have done it long ago," Strong said.
Workers also tried to get access to the manhole covering an underground vault with huge valves controlling the main flow of water from the pump to the treatment facilities. But the volume and current of the water made that impossible, so the call went to Shreveport Fire Department for its dive team.
Three pairs of divers took turns entering the valve area, expecting to find two of the huge controls but instead found six. With the compartment flooded, these were underwater, and the darkness and physical demands of the task were draining.
"The difficulties were the temperature of the water and the velocity of the water," said Fire Capt. Kerry Foster, a veteran diver. The valves were under about four feet of water, and water was pouring onto the heads of the divers as they worked.
"It may not sound like much, but it was," said Foster, who was part of the final pair that went in wearing "dry suits" that made the work more tolerable. "It was a piece of cake for me, but we had some younger guys working."
In addition to the cold, the task was physically challenging. The manual valves had wheels sometimes measuring several feet across, with very fine threads.
"Some of them require 100 to 200 turns to shut off," Fire Department spokesman Brian Crawford said. "Put yourself underwater as a diver having to turn the valve that many times."
Some of the valves stuck and required further exertion or the use of "cheater" bars to turn, he said.
Had the problem lasted longer, the situation could have been more serious.
"The Emergency Operations Center at the 911 Center was ramped up during the event because of the potential for it becoming worse," Crawford said. "Plan 'B' was to shut off all the pumps, which would have stopped all water pressure in the city for one or two hours."
Fire services were prepared for the worst. Several pumper trucks were kept on standby, Crawford said.
The water pressure drop, he sad, "could affect our operations fighting a structural fire."
But city firetrucks normally carry 500 gallons, and several trucks normally go to house fires, more to commercial blazes.
"They normally can handle it," he said.
Barksdale Air Force Base, which gets its water from Shreveport but can shunt to Bossier City water if necessary, was told shortly after noon that its water was not affected, a 2nd Bomb Wing representative said.
Though the coupling was repaired shortly after the water geyser stopped, there are lingering effects.
Overnight, city crews drew water samples for testing from stations throughout the city. The results will help determine how soon the boil advisory will be lifted.
Even if it is lifted today, it has had ripples through the community.
Residents in areas as scattered as North Highlands and far south Shreveport reported sudden water pressure changes between 7:30 a.m. and 8 a.m. Thursday.
Stephanie Saunders, who lives south of LSUS, noticed lower water pressure at her home about 8 a.m.
"I really hope it gets fixed (Thursday) afternoon/early evening," Saunders said via e-mail.
Diane Mirvis also responded via e-mail, noting that she had almost no water at her Highland home between 8 a.m. and 9 a.m.
"I understand how greatly this impacts the city, but pictures of people during Katrina begging for water keep running through my mind," Mirvis wrote. "I think that helps put things into perspective."
