Water Distribution Division
The Water Distribution Division is responsible for installation, maintenance, inspection and repair of the water pipelines that deliver drinking water from the water treatment plants to your taps. The system consists of pipes ranging in size from the large 24" transmission lines to small ¾" service lines. Five rural water districts and Baldwin City also receive water from the City's distribution system.
The Utilities Department is constantly striving to ensure that clean, safe water is available for both consumption and for fire protection needs. The distribution system is continually being upgraded and updated. Each year, sections of pipe that have been identified, for a variety of reasons, as needing replacement are either replaced by distribution personnel or outside contractors.
In-House Water Main Projects
The Distribution Division is engaged in both the installation of new water lines and also the replacement of existing water lines. This replacement program reduces the amount of repairs necessary due to outdated piping.
Service Repair and Replacement Program
Water services within the distribution system needing replacement due to outdated piping are nearly non-existent because of intensive replacement programs in the past. Rarely is an active service plumbed with outdated galvanized pipe but a few are still discovered. Repairing service piping is a time consuming activity: shut-off valves leak or become inoperative; service piping and appurtenances are also damaged by other means such as contractors, vehicles, construction activities, etc.
Hydrant Maintenance Program
Hydrants, used for flushing and fire fighting, need periodic maintenance. This program is designed to provide scheduled maintenance to every city-owned hydrant. Each hydrant is also checked for operational integrity thus ensuring that, in an emergency, they are ready for use. The department also continues to emphasize hydrant painting as part of this program.
Valve Maintenance Program
The Valve Maintenance Program is designed to provide maintenance to the distribution system valves, making sure they are properly mapped, easily accessible and operating correctly.
Meter Testing and Maintenance Program
The large meter testing continues on a scheduled basis. All rural water district meters and the meters to Baldwin City are tested annually. If measuring accuracy is found not to be within established guidelines (98% to 102%), the meter is either replaced or rebuilt. These guidelines apply to all large meters, which are tested on a schedule dependent upon size. 6" and larger meters are tested annually, 4" meters are tested every two years and 3" meters are tested every 3 years. The Large Meter Testing and Maintenance Program helps prevent water loss and insures that customers are billed fairly. The program also updates, when possible, meters, meter plumbing and meter vaults.
Flushing Program
The Flushing Program strives to prevent degradation of water, which occurs when it resides within the distribution for too long. This is especially prevalent where a water main is a dead-end or in new areas where there is insufficient water usage to keep the water in the piping fresh. These areas are flushed on a scheduled basis. A list of flushing points is maintained and, depending on the piping layout and water usage, the areas are flushed as per the schedule. Information obtained and recorded while flushing is used to assist in the determination of the water quality and possible adjustments that may need to be made to the flushing schedule. This program has been very successful in maintaining acceptable levels of water quality not only on dead-end lines but also under-used lines, both existing and newly constructed.
