Old utility pipes cause continuing concerns in Knoxville
The water and sewer lines are the oldest in Knoxville, installed around the turn of the century.July 20, 2007
By MELISSA DiPANE
6 News Anchor/Reporter
KNOXVILLE (WATE) -- A steam pipe explosion in New York City earlier this week is shedding light on a growing infrastructure problem across the country, including in Knoxville.
For instance, just a few feet beneath downtown Knoxville's Gay Street is historic groundwork for the city's utility system, which in some areas, is more than 100-years-old.
Water, sewer and gas lines are under the streets of Knoxville.
The water and sewer lines are the oldest, installed around the turn of the century. The gas lines are newer, dating back 25 years.
"There are some that have been replaced. We are in the process of increasing our maintenance in the downtown area," says Julie Childers, vice president of engineering for KUB.
The age of the pipe, along with what it's made of, make some lines more susceptible to breaks.
KUB just started a program that keeps a closer eye on the life cycle. "With Century II we look at all our utilities, look at the life and replacement cycle for those pipes," says Childers.
Some of the lines are being replaced with the PACE 10 program, which promises to improve water quality.
Maintenance and replacement for the aging system costs several million dollars. The upkeep is rigorous.
"We look at our records with the age of the pipe, also do a condition assessment in sewer lines. You can do an internal inspection. We go through the manholes to look for defects and possible problems that need to be corrected," Childers says.
Although Knoxville has seen its fair share of water main breaks, KUB says it tries to fix the problem as soon as it can.
Unlike New York City, the only steam lines in Knoxville are under the University of Tennessee. There are 12 miles of pipes servicing around 100 buildings. Some of the pipes are new. Others are old. The oldest have been in place about 40 years.
The pipes in Knoxville don't contain nearly as much pressure as those in New York City, so there would be little chance of explosion if they broke.
