Thousands have lived without love, not one without water.
W. H. Auden
The technical definition of a leak is a gradual loss of liquid (in this case water) from a system. A leak, if left unattended, can cause serious damage to property and pipes and people, and eventually lead to worse leaks.
People blame me because these water mains break, but I ask you, if the water mains didn’t break, would it be my responsibility to fix them then? WOULD IT!?!”
— Marion Barry
Our annual winter sojourn to Hilton Head Island in South Carolina to escape the cold and snow of the Poconos. We can be outside. Bike rides on the beach. Reading in the sun. We love it.
Last week, we received notice that there would be no water for 2 hours on Tuesday. A “leak” needed to be repaired. It was January. The sun was shining. It was warm. Yes, we could weather this storm. The development in which we rent the townhouse is 50 years old. We know this because the next notice indicated the broken water main pipe was 50 years old and installed when they built the development, and they don’t make ‘em like that anymore. An extensive pipe search was launched seeking a replacement pipe. After a presumably successful conduit quest, we received an email indicating that the break was worse than anticipated. It would “require major, extensive and expensive repairs.” A temporary fix allowed leaking water to flow until they were ready to resume work. Evidently the hundreds of gallons of leaking water would be drained into the grassy area behind the swimming pool. There was no mention of the possible the installation of a 2nd diving board for the new swamp/pool “fun” area created by the leaking water where the grassy area used to be. Overjoyed at the prospect of a new swamp, an alligator consulted a Reptile Real Estate Agent regarding possible residence. After all, a condominium development would offer an unlimited source of food.
A week later, a notice was posted on the mailboxes that “the water will be turned off at 11 a.m. on Friday in order to continue repairs. Water will be off for 2-4 hours.” The water was turned off promptly at 11 a.m. Seven hours later we received another email: “In conjunction with Pines Plumbing we have worked since 11:00 am today to resolve the broken water main behind building #7. The project is extremely difficult due to the location of the break which is under the courtyard walls that separate units. Unfortunately, the leak cannot be sufficiently repaired tonight and we will have to keep the water off until sometime on Saturday. The leak is too great and even with sump pumps removing the water we have a VERY STRONG risk of flooding the units in building 7 and possibly undermining the building itself and even the pool. We certainly regret telling you that there will be NO water in the entire complex tonight. After discussing the situation, the Board of Directors has made this difficult decision. We will keep you posted on the progress on Saturday.” Oy vey! Little did we know it would in fact be 33.5 hours.
We prepared as best we could. Earlier in the day we had filled every large pot and vessel we could find with tap water to see us through the crisis. We stocked up on drinking water. We identified the closest public bathrooms – 200 yds at the Adventure Park and 3/10 of a mile at the shopping plaza respectively. Margaret said, “don’t think about it”. All I did was think about it. Shortly after receiving this email saying no water until Saturday, miraculously, around 8 p.m., the water came on. Rejoicing all over the land. Aquatic Festivals were held honoring Neptune. Dishes were washed. Toilets used. Toilets flushed. Faces washed. Teeth brushed. We didn’t get around to refilling the pots because, unfortunately, 15 minutes later, the water went off again and that was it for the night. No gasping gurgle, no blast of air from emptying pipes, just turn the faucet and ……..silence. Well actually there was a pathetically weak dribble for a few seconds. On Saturday morning we witnessed a parade of people from our development marching to and from the public toilets those 200 yards away to the Adventure Park across the street. Later, while taking out the trash I encountered a couple who asked me if I knew when the water would be restored. Of course, I didn’t but we commiserated for a few minutes and they informed me that “We’re from New Jersey. In New Jersey they would have worked all night”.
Later that morning, a gentleman knocked on our door to give us the latest update. It was not good. Evidently, the water main and pipes are under the exterior patio walls of the affected units. No machinery could be used. Digging had to be done the old-fashioned way, by hand. Plastic shovels and pails? This would take time. When asked (do you think we were the only ones to ask this?) if he expected the water to return today (Saturday), the answer was “I hope so”. We asked him to relay our thanks to the workers and the Board for their efforts. He also informed us that the brief reappearance of water the previous night was unauthorized. Someone with plumbing knowledge had taken it upon themselves to turn on the water. The “Board” had to contact Hilton Head Public Works to turn off the water at the source ensure the water would stay off less the affected homes be flooded.
A historical perspective to our problem as one of the first things one thinks of when there is no water is toilets. Fortunately, we have a brief survey of the flushing toilet in our Science Gnus essay: Getting a Handle on the Flush Toilet: The popular myth is that Thomas Crapper invented the toilet. Nope! Although Crapper filed nine toilet-related patents from 1881 to 1896, the aptly named gent did not invent the modern flush toilet. Sir John Harington was flushed with success 300 years earlier with his water closet design, Harington sold the commode to his godmother, Queen Elizabeth I, who had the first one installed in Richmond Palace. In 1775, London watchmaker Alexander Cummings filed the first flush toilet patent. By the time Crapper took a seat, the original flush toilet had undergone a series of improvements, including its S-curved water piping to trap odors (Alexander Cummings), a chain-operated flushing device (Joseph Bramah) and a pressurized siphon flush system that effectively carried excrement from toilet bowl to sewage pipes (Joseph Adamson). Crapper became widely associated with toilets when as he wisely put his name on his wares. And, just in case you were wondering, in 1896, Scott Paper Co. began marketing the first rolls of toilet paper.
And because you should know and because you probably never thought about it, we present a brief account of the development of water mains for after dinner discussions, social occasions and idle chatter while floating in swimming pools: The first known underground water mains were constructed by the Minoans, who were famous for worshipping minnows, around 2200 BC. They, the watermains, not the Minoans, were made from terracotta and supplied water to the Palace of Knossos on Crete. These water mains of Knossos may have been over 1,000 years ahead of their time, but they didn’t have motion detector lights so we’re even as you’ll see. The Roman Empire with its aqueducts, which were constructed both above and below ground between 312 BC and 455 AD enhanced water main technology. These aqueducts used gravity flow to bring water from miles away into the cities to Rome’s distribution reservoirs, from which the water was transported to fountains and baths. Many pipes were, unfortunately, made of lead. The lead may be why so many Romans were affected by lead poisoning which caused them to wear togas, eat lying on couches, feed Christians to the lions, and have a large assortment of insane emperors and then assassinate them with some regularity.
Wooden pipes replaced lead and were still in use 16th and 17th century Europe, as well as in 18th century North America but wooden pipes had some major drawbacks such as a tendency to rot as well as attracting bugs which could result in having a glass of termites with water in it. Then lead pipes made a comeback in the 1800s due, in part, to their low cost and durability. But, just like in Rome, lead water mains caused an epidemic of lead poisoning, but now it was looney monarchs and politicians and The War of Jenkins’ Ear, and by the 1920s there were many cities that were outlawing the use of lead pipelines to transport drinking water.
It was time for one of the more underappreciated inventions of our modern era. The creation of ductile iron. Ductile Iron is a type of cast iron known for its impact and fatigue resistance, elongation, and wear resistance. Keith Millis, a metallurgical engineer and pioneer in the foundry industry is credited with creating ductile iron while attempting to find alternatives for strengthening iron during World War II. Still, ductile iron can corrode over time and needs to be replaced. This led to the introduction of polyvinyl chloride plastic pipe, more commonly known as PVC piping. It remains one of the most commonly used supply line materials today. PVC was discovered twice. The first time was 1838 by French physicist Henri Victor Regnault. Then it was discovered again in 1872 by German chemist Eugen Baumann. Neither man followed up on the breakthrough, so no one knew there was a breakthrough. Then, in 1913, German inventor, Friedrich Heinrich August Klatte took out the first patent on the material. Widespread use of PVC pipes began during the 1950s.
As for faucets, they, like water mains go back to those minnow worshipping Minoans as plumbing and spout fixtures were used as early as 1700 B.C. at Knossos. Until recently fixtures were basic. They had two spouts – one for hot water and the other for cold water. Then along came Al Moen who in 1937 single handedly invented the single the single-handle faucet, which mixes hot and cold water before it exits the fixture. WWII intervened and they did not come into widespread use until 1950. And then, dramatically, on September 22, 1976, came the introduction of the Farah Fawcett.
………. “Water, water, everywhere, Nor any drop to drink”……. The Rime of the Ancient Mariner,
Samuel Taylor Coleridge
And so we flow back to our current H2O crisis. Years ago, when I traveled around the country as a science education consultant, I preferred sitting in the window seats during flights. I enjoyed looking out the window and studying the topography. Sadly, I developed Window Seat Syndrome. As soon as I sat in the window seat, I would feel the need to use the bathroom, especially if someone took the aisle seat. Thoughts of potential bathroom use would linger throughout the flight, and I monitored the progress of the food and beverage carts as well as lines for the bathroom with regularity. I sit in aisle seats now.
The Window Seat Syndrome made a dramatic comeback on Friday as soon as I understood that bathroom use would be, shall we say, limited, I knew I would have to use the bathroom. It remained so throughout the day. Still no water the next day as Saturday dawned. Margaret reminded me “don’t think about it”. So, I spent a good part of the day thinking about not thinking about it. While not thinking about it, after breakfast I did not eat nor drink until dinner time. Keeping myself occupied while not thinking about it, I would desultorily pull down the flush handle each time I walked by the bathroom. Sometimes in each direction because, you know, just in case. I was not thinking about thinking successfully until about 5:30. The hot salsa and chips and extra sharp cheddar cheese before dinner was not one of my better ideas. Didn’t really think through the consequences because I was not thinking about it. Later, after dinner, I thought about it. Better go now rather than need to go at 11 p.m. or worse, 3 a.m. Even though I was not thinking about it, the call of the wild to the public restrooms was irresistible. Telling Margaret “I’ll be right back” I sallied forth in the dark…..very dark…… to the closest public restrooms at the aptly named Adventure Park hoping they were still open. The iPhone flashlight led the way. When I arrived at the oasis, I recalled that Margaret had told me they closed “at dusk”. This was January. This was not dusk. This was night. Darkest night. When was dusk in January? I located the building successfully and then located the door that said “Men” and tentatively, nay, fearfully tried the handle. There was one of those coded lock pads on the door adding to my angst. Mercifully the door opened! I stepped into the pitch black (no windows) room. I held the door open using ambient light and the flashlight while looking for the light switch. I pushed several white rectangles on the wall that could have been light switches, but none was a light switch. It remained dark until I discovered that there is a motion detector light. It comes on after what seemed like an inordinately long time when one has a sense of urgency in pitch black darkness. It came on just 5 seconds after I walked into the sink and bashed my hip. Now, suddenly, I was bathed in blinding light. Whew. Of course, then I commenced to worrying that park workers might come and lock the door while I was in there. Really, you would not want to live in my brain. With my stressful mission accomplished and now much relaxed, I started back home. It turned into a journey fraught with peril as even with the flashlight and even though I run and or ride the bike on those paths every day, I got lost. Dark. There is a pond between the Adventure Park and our development. Last year an alligator lived in it. Progress was very deliberate. A couple of glasses of wine consumed earlier with the salsa was not helpful to my orienteering. I finally did a course correction when I found myself in the middle of the street about 20 yards from our entrance and arrived home safe and a bit bruised from my encounter with the sink.
A half hour later the water came back on.
