Emergency Piping Saves the Day for Maryland Town
Last June a construction accident in Walkersville, Md., ruptured an 18-inch sewer line, releasing nearly a million gallons of raw sewage. The geology of the area ? porous limestone riddled with fissures, sinkholes and channels ? allowed the sewage to seep into wells located about a mile away and from which water for the town?s 7,500 residents is drawn.
Town and county officials advised residents to boil their tap water, deployed four tank trucks to provide drinking water and installed an additional filter system at the town?s water treatment plant. Even at that, they recognized the need for longer-term solution, given that it would take months for the wells to be flushed clean. The solution came in the form of a temporary water line that linked Walkersville?s water system to that of nearby Frederick.
Curtis Orndorff, water and sewer division chief for the city of Frederick, called Mainlining Service, a private contractor that specializes in municipal systems, regarding the availability of emergency piping. The following morning, the firm delivered 7,000 feet of high-impact, 6-inch PVC pipe, and employees of Walkersville, Frederick and Frederick County set about constructing the temporary water line.
?I found it remarkable how well the three governments cooperated in responding to this crisis. As a result, we were able to complete the project in just a day and a half,? said Elizabeth Pasierb, planning and zoning administrator for Walkersville.
Work crews from the city of Frederick, Frederick County and Walkersville, plus a representative of Mainlining Service who was familiar with the type of pipe being used, ran the temporary water line from Frederick?s Monocacy water treatment plant to the Walkersville water system 1.3 miles away ? under Maryland Route 26, over the Monacacy River suspended from a bridge, and along Maryland Route 194, all in sweltering 98-degree temperatures.
Roger Notarnicola, vice president of plant operations for Mainlining Service, noted, ?I received a phone call at 10 a.m. on the Friday before the Fourth of July weekend. Our objective was to get water to them as quickly and efficiently as possible. The pipe was delivered Saturday morning, assembled, charged and tested the same day, chlorinated Sunday and in service Monday.?
Aquamine LLC, Bristol, Tenn., manufactured the pipe. A system of reusable PVC pipe, fittings and accessories, it combines strength, flexibility, and fast assembly, making it ideal for temporary emergency water supply situations. The couplings incorporate rubber O-rings for positive sealing, and a nylon spline provides a self-restraining joint by engaging into grooves in both the coupling and the pipe. SDR-sized pipe in 2 inch through 12 inch sizes is available from the manufacturer. Pressure ratings range from 160 psi to 350 psi.
?Originally the township decided to rent the temporary line, which included the pipe, fittings and some flexible hose,? said Notarnicola. ?They subsequently purchased the pipe to have it on hand in the event of future emergencies.?
The line provided Walkersville residents 700,000 gallons of water a day for nearly five months, while the town?s wells were pumped, tested and dumped into the sewer system.
?We?ve had virtually no problems with the line,? Pasierb said. ?Initially we had trouble keeping the chlorine level up until we installed a chlorine pump at our end. And we anticipated problems with Hurricane Floyd, but they never materialized.?
At the other end of the line, Orndorff concluded, ?The time frame in which the pipe went together to get potable water to people that needed it speaks for itself.?