WATER MAIN BREAKS – A CLEVELAND GROWTH INDUSTRY

Tremont, other sections of the West Side, Downtown Cleveland, and a large portion of the East side of Cleveland were waterless this morning due to a water main break on Hamilton west of E 40th.

But to see the number of media reporters on the scene, you would have thought there was real important news to collect. 8 TV rigs were there, and one of the cameramen was already talking overtime.

This water main break foists a huge economic burden all across Cleveland. Not to mention the public safety hazzard that no water in the fire hydrants poses (Cleveland Fire Department brought in 2 4000 gallon tankers of water from Hopkins - about enough to put out 2 trash can fires). I wonder if those two water trucks were brought in to provide fire safety to the high rise buildings around Public Square when the water main broke there last year [1]

The main break was probably entirely preventable if a leak detection maintenance program was in place.

Recording equipment can be sent downstream through active water mains. Cast iron water main pipes don’t just break in two all of a sudden. Total failure of a main takes place over time.

Any leak in the pipe produces an audio profile. Leaks can then be inventoried in terms of size, location, and increase in size/volume/noise. Then a maintence program allows the repair of the most vital lines before they fail.

The larger the water main, the more critical leak inspection is. Here is a link to the Pressure Pipe Inspection Company [2] of Mississauga, Ontario, one company of many that has both generic and proprietary pressure pipe inspection capabilities. Here is a link to the specific inspection device which is pulled downstream through a pressurized working pipe with it's own "parachute" [3] - very cool.

When was the main which broke at the corner of Hamilton and E40th last inspected?

The answer to that question might be news…

What civic benefit is provided to NEO by the local reporting company’s, their methods and their technology? Are any of the news media helping to move Cleveland ahead? Is what is pictured above out-of-date, dinosaur analogue technology? How come conventionally attractive women are usually in the media front line with microphones asking all the questions? Is TV news sexist? Is there really just one formula for TV news?