Neighborhood in Illinois has faced 79 water breaks since 1980.
Across
the country, it is estimated that about 700 water pipelines will burst each
day, according to Water World. While age plays a huge factor in this problem,
another major issue is the extent of corrosion these older pipes are attempting
to withstand. Though the major of pipes within most American cities are quite
old, they should still be able to function with little trouble should it not be
for the presence of corrosion.
For
residents of Decatur, Illinois, this number of water breaks has been especially
high. The Herald-Review reports that since just 1980, there have been 79 water
breaks alone in one neighborhood called Forest Creek. It is reported that 13 of
those occurrences just in the last three years.
The
city hopes that many of these problems will fade away after city contractors
finish laying 7,000 of new water pipelines later this year. These contractors
signed on and were awarded a $1.2 million contract this past summer.
Even
while some of the city's pipelines are in decent, working condition, many are
aging and prone to corrosion damage. Harsh environmental conditions also
further this corrosion.
"The
majority of water piping installed in the 20th century was cast or ductile
iron, which was expected to provide water utilities with 50 to 100 years of
trouble-free service," Water World writes. "Unfortunately, these
pipes are susceptible to corrosion and subsequent breakage. Many factors
contribute to corrosion-induced water main breaks, including soil conditions,
coupling to dissimilar metals, seasonal temperature changes, soil stress, road
de-icing salts, seismic action and stray electrical currents."
Contact the Envsin Instrument Equipment Co., Ltd today to learn more about our advanced environmental testing services.