U.S. Water Pipelines are Breaking

[Hissyspit]

Source: Associated Press

US water pipelines are breaking
By COLLEEN LONG, Associated Press Writer
Tue Apr 8, 8:13 PM ET

NEW YORK - Two hours north of New York City, a mile-long stream and a marsh the size of a football field have mysteriously formed along a country road. They are such a marvel that people come from miles around to drink the crystal-clear water, believing it is bubbling up from a hidden natural spring. The truth is far less romantic: The water is coming from a cracked 70-year-old tunnel hundreds of feet below ground, scientists say.

The tunnel is leaking up to 36 million gallons a day as it carries drinking water from a reservoir to the big city. It is a powerful warning sign of a larger problem around the country: The infrastructure that delivers water to the nation's cities is badly aging and in need of repairs.

The Environmental Protection Agency says utilities will need to invest more than $277 billion over the next two decades on repairs and improvements to drinking water systems. Water industry engineers put the figure drastically higher, at about $480 billion. Water utilities, largely managed by city governments, have never faced improvements of this magnitude before. And customers will have to bear the majority of the cost through rate increases, according to the American Water Works Association, an industry group.

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080409/ap_on_re_us/deteriorating_water_pipes

[Ichingcarpenter]

1. My pipes are breaking too

cause I can't get healthcare.

[Up2Late]

2. Oh crap, that's not going to be fun to find and fix.

And the Number 3 New York City water tunnel isn't going to be finished until at least 2020.

More info here: <http://www.water-technology.net/projects/new_york/>

[truthisfreedom]

3. bushco is heralding in nothing short of complete catastrophe for our once great nation.

Leave it to bush, to leave our country a complete wreck.

[Judi Lynn]

6. Luckily for Bush, he's got property in Paraguay. You've probably read Richard Perle's got a home in

France. It would be very interesting to learn how many of these fascists are close to bailing here, and withdrawing to a less imperiled country, after they've completely gutted our country's infrastructure, and destroyed our social fabric altogether.

[rosesaylavee]

23. They can run...

but they can't hide. If it comes to tracking them down, I am sure there is enough worldwide outrage at their actions that it will be a very short manhunt should they decide to go underground. Ha. Just hope they are delivered in one piece for the trial.

[4_TN_TITANS]

21. I'd never defend the bastard

but realistically, these problems are the inheritance left by a generation focused on personal gain and unwilling to pay the tax revenue to maintain the infrastructure they were given. It's not the fault one eight year disaster of a presidency.

More now than ever, we need New Deal style public works programs to shore up the country and put people back to work.

[OwnedByFerrets]

22. As Thom Hartmann keeps preaching daily...

WE NEED A NEW NEW DEAL!!!!

[electropop]

30. But I'm sure as we privatize all the water systems, this will be fixed.

For a suitable fee of course.

[BumRushDaShow]

4. At least $480 billion was spent in Iraq/Afghanistan in just 5 years.

But we have our priorities and drinking water isn't it. :sarcasm:

[SpiralHawk]

7. I believe that is $3 trillion or more of our tax dollars spent on Nation Building elsewhere

But on the bright side, republicon homelander cronies have made Massive War Profits from this misbegotten Crusade...

[BumRushDaShow]

17. Right. Making money is

the American Way! :sarcasm:

:hi:

[crim son]

20. If it makes you feel any better, the Iraqis and Afghanis don't have

clean drinking water either, more evidence of the shrub's grotesque ineptitude.

[izzie]

5. We do badly on fixing them in Iraq also.

When we get them done over their we are going to try to fix them here.

[formercia]

8. Let's see how privatization of infrastructure works out

when these corporations who bought infrastructure for pennies on the dollar come back whining for public funds to help them repair what they neglected in order to squeeze out the maximum profit.

[annabanana]

9. Damn! This should be the lead story, at least in the NYC press

this morning. There are only 2 (TWO!) pipes bringing water to the city. I sure hope there are no fires in the city this summer.

[liberal N proud]

10. But there is a war we must spend our tax dollars on

We are too busy destroying the rest of the world to take care of our own little corner.

:sarcasm:

[happygoluckytoyou]

11. YO BUSH... i got your pipe right here

[Locrian]

12. privatize

but, but, geee golly gov must just be soooo bad. We should privatize it all because that is soooo much better.

(obvious sarcasm above)



And another bush plan comes together. I'm a total believer in that his plan is to wreck it ALL (or just let it wreck by inaction), then allow private interests to eventually own it all.

There was a great article in Harpers about 5-7 years ago when they had social security up for grabs - the bush plan was likened putting a brick on the pedal of a freight train and jumping off. Somehow that sticks in my mind and serves as a perfect analogy to how the republicans operate government.

Social security, medicare, the military, schools, roads and infrastructure, the list goes on forever.

And when they own it all, it will include everyone not in the "club" of multimillionaires. Party like its 1299 AD.

[Lorien]

31. Yep. Repugs always claim that government doesn't work

and when they get elected (or steal it) they set out to prove their claim.

Privatization sure worked well for them in California. I have a good friend in Glendale who pays over $900 EVERY MONTH for her electricity. She never uses heat or A/C, uses compact florescent light bulbs, unplugs as many appliances as possible and has had several energy auditors out to the house, but she still can't get her bill down. If the GOP has it's way everyone will be sharing her pain. :-(

[Maureen1322]

13. Time for a Tax Cut

:sarcasm:

[BumRushDaShow]

26. Right. Tax cuts will generate the revenues that will save America.

:sarcasm:

[BadgerKid]

14. Our water co. has been wanting a 60% increase

in rates for infrastructure, etc. Great timing with the recession, guys. :sarcasm:

[fasttense]

15. So exactly what is my tax money being used for? n/t

[Historic NY]

16. Old News....... The NY City pipes have leaked for years.............

they can't makes all the repairs w/o shutting things completely down, the leaks will persist. My town is tapped into the aqueduct system. From time to time it is shut down.Recently they entered into agreements with a nearby city to provided additional sources. These pipes are for the most part very deep underground or under the Hudson River. Remember most of them were built after the turn of the last century. Lots of water pipes break especially during the colder months due to ground changes from freezing and thawing. The maintenance of these systems is up to the communities which they serve. So ask yourself does your community do a good job? You pay for it whether they do or not in your local taxes.

Water pipes leaking and breaking is pretty much normal business and to be expected. I would think that finding new fresh clean sources of drinking water was much more important.

[trusty elf]

18. Dubya has a toll-free number for us to dial.

[trusty elf]

19. Cheney says

[Auggie]

24. I believe this is Disaster Capitalism at work in the U.S.

Scenario: The Feds purposely cut grants to local government, letting infrastructure rot. Local government can't afford repair and upkeep, so it bids out repairs to private industry. Some localities will need to throw in incentives (like distribution rights for water) in return for lower construction fees. Companies like Halliburton may not end up owning the water, but they'll own the dams where water is stored and the pipes in which the water is delivered. And they'll charge us for the service.

[Botany]

25. This is not a Repub v Dem issue

NYC's water comes from upstate and runs downhill in
a really remarkable system .... Old pipes leak and the
system always will need to be worked on .... however
I would much rather spend the money on our
infrastructure than pissing it away in Iraq.

[mcollier]

27. Thats what happens when greedy politicans

run the government and the country in the ditch, while too busy looking for personal gain.

[Botany]

28. But old pipes leak and that has nothing to do w/ politics

except for the fact it hard to sell "fix it first before it breaks"
to the public.

[Summer93]

29. I was wrong

After 911 I thought that the most vulnerable sites were the aqueducts for water supplies for cities. I was thinking there would be sabotage to them. I was wrong they are suffering neglect from domestic sources.

[Mika]

32. We all know - Clinton did it!

Its all his and her fault.


;)