Houston, we have a problem - a water problem

[masraum]

https://www.khou.com/article/news/local/flooding-on-east-loop/285-319d995a-47fb-4689-aeca-9f91e9fd1f2c

A 96-inch water main broke on Thursday in east Houston.

It happened near the intersection of the East Loop at Clinton Drive. Soon after the water main broke, all lanes of 610 were closed in both directions and a nearby neighborhood was flooded.

The eight-foot diameter water line that broke provides water to about 50 percent of the city.

When it burst, it caused major flooding in east Houston and water pressure problems in areas across Houston.

The 610 East Loop reopened overnight after being closed for several hours Thursday due to the flooding. The northbound exit ramp to Clinton Drive remains closed Friday morning.

All downtown county buildings were closed until further notice and were evacuated without delay, a county official said.

The Houston Health Department warned all food service establishments without water or flushing toilets to cease operations immediately.

A city of Houston contractor from Harper Brothers Construction caused the water line to burst when soil was moved during work on a city project, according to AlertHouston. A representative for the company declined to comment on the incident.

"They were working to repair a leak we had already detected," Turner said, explaining why the company was out working when water main break happened.

I read yesterday that they expected the pipe to take 6-8 hours to drain after they capped both ends before they could start repairs which could take 24 hours.

I went to the grocery store to get some ice cream yesterday evening. The first store that I went to was closed due to not having water (presumably running water since they do a lot of cooked/hot food) and then the second store that I went to was open. As I was walking past the water/soda aisle, I heard several folks lamenting "they don't have anything left but sparkling water."

All of the Houston schools are closed today.

They are going to be taking porta-potties to all of the Houston Jails.





This is supposedly the "you need to boil your water" zone



Lets see if this interactive map of the boil area embeds

[GH85Carrera]

A 8 foot water main is a bunch of water.

Image the valve that opens and closes that thing.

Several years ago Oklahoma City had a massive rain, and the runoff in some creeks caused some massive erosion. It partially exposed a 8 foot water main like the one in Houston. It was still very swampy and muddy and horrible conditions on site. One of the survey companies was called to survey the area and it is very rural, full of very deep mud, mosquitoes, and chiggers, and ticks, snakes and debris washed down the creek. Mount trash-more is very close so it really stinks there. The surveyor said two of his workers threatened to quit if he sent them in there.

He called us, and we flew it at high resolution and made them a 3D model of the area to see the erosion and know what was going to be needed. It was a small area, and we had it done in 24 hours. Not one skeeter bite or a bit of mud on the airplane. We were heroes to the survey ground crew, but only got a normal price for the project.

In the end, the city figured the pipe was OK for now, and waited for the waters to recede to fix the issue properly.

[red-beard]

Only in Houston...do you have flooding on a clear, bright day.

My home is outside the "boil water" zone, but our office is 'probably' in the boil zone. I say probably, because the water company here I believe gets water from the City of Houston.

At least the water is clean!

[Sooner or later]

Damn

[wilnj]

Originally Posted by GH85Carrera

A 8 foot water main is a bunch of water.



Image the valve that opens and closes that thing.

Hopefully the valve works.



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[BK911]

Originally Posted by GH85Carrera

A 8 foot water main is a bunch of water.

Image the valve that opens and closes that thing.

If that valve isn't exercised regularly, it won't seal properly.
We have that issue all over campus.
End up draining the system, replacing the valve, then make the repairs.
Good lesson for us at home.
Exercise your water shut off valves at the sink, toilet, etc at least every year.
That way they will actually work when you need them to.

[wilnj]

Originally Posted by BK911

Exercise your water shut off valves at the sink, toilet, etc at least every year.

That way they will actually work when you need them to.

What do you recommend? Pilates? Crossfit? Yoga?


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[Hawkeye's-911T]

Exercise your water shut off valves at the sink, toilet, etc at least every year.

Sometimes referred to as 'stroking'

[slow&rusty]

That drone footage is incredible.

Folks driving home in the east had a horrid commute, I went down to the BBQ Cook-Off at NRG at 6pm and traffic was a bear...an angry grizzly bear.

[GH85Carrera]

Originally Posted by slow&rusty

That drone footage is incredible.

Folks driving home in the east had a horrid commute, I went down to the BBQ Cook-Off at NRG at 6pm and traffic was a bear...an angry grizzly bear.

So it was different than every other day in Houston traffic?

[masraum]

Originally Posted by GH85Carrera

A 8 foot water main is a bunch of water.

Image the valve that opens and closes that thing.

Sure, like the knob on your hose, only a little bigger.

Originally Posted by red-beard

Only in Houston...do you have flooding on a clear, bright day.

My home is outside the "boil water" zone, but our office is 'probably' in the boil zone. I say probably, because the water company here I believe gets water from the City of Houston.

At least the water is clean!

I forgot to post this with the OP

[masraum]

Originally Posted by BK911

If that valve isn't exercised regularly, it won't seal properly.
We have that issue all over campus.
End up draining the system, replacing the valve, then make the repairs.
Good lesson for us at home.
Exercise your water shut off valves at the sink, toilet, etc at least every year.
That way they will actually work when you need them to.

In our old house, I had a couple that were a huge pain. At the time the home was >40 yo. I eventually called a plumber to come just replace them all (sinks and toilets). I thought about trying it myself, but with the old pipes I had images of pipes twisting in half, etc... I was wrong, the guy was done in about 30 mins and all of them spun right off and back on. I'm still sure that I'd I'd tried it myself it would have turned out the complete opposite of the plumber's experience.

[RWebb]

Infrastructure Counts

[RWebb]

the pipe broke because of the Cheating POS Houston Astros: (Multi-page thread 1 2 3 4 5 )

[Crowbob]

I leave those under-sink valves alone! Every cot-tam time I've ever messed with one it ended up needing to be replaced. It took a while but now I automatically buy replacements before any wrench touches any pipe.

A coupla years ago a guy in Warren, MI went downstairs to discover his basement was flooded! Then his driveway sank.

Speaking of flooded basements, my uncle Bob had one because his sump pump went out. Plus, the basement ceiling lightbulbs were all shot and the fuse panel of course was on the other side of the basement. So without cutting the mains, he's balancing on a step ladder in three feet of water leaning way over just barely reaching far enough to change the bulb. Very precarious, awkward and pretty funny. We were all watching from the stairs when just about the time he stretches over and touches the light, my cousin takes a picture. This was back in the olden days with those bluish flashbulbs that go pop.

Welp...

Down he goes! And to make matters worse it was so hilarious we laughed and scrambled up the stairs because Old Unka Bob was madder than a wet cat.

[GH85Carrera]

At the photolab I worked at we had several processors and water distribution panels that hof course had hot and cold water going to a temp control valve sorta like a shower valve only much more expensive and adjustable. We finally called a customer back to show him how the water just at the valves. We called him because he worked at a oil field supply company making valves.

He provided us some stainless steel ball valves with Teflon seals. He said it is the same valve they provide to the local natural gas provider and the valves will never be an issue. Fortunately for us he sold them to us at near cost, so they were still expensive but better than leaking POS valves from the local plumber supply.