Good evening all.

Welcome to bitter Winter. We have a significant water leak that threatens to shut down our water system.

  1. Two nights ago (23rd) we were running only a bit above normal (10k gallons), last night 14k, tonight a bit over 16k. 
  2. On a good day we use a bit under 10k, so over a 50% increase in demand on our system. 
  3. According to my spreadsheet analysis of the system behavior, we’re on the knife’s edge.  That means we’re probably pushing out more water than we are taking in.  Each day we will lose some until the storage tank is at about 2.5ft and we have to shut down.
  4. With these temperatures, we will most likely be unable to have fresh water delivery (about 4.5k gallons a truck at a bit north of $500 a delivery) until next week.
  5. Bottom line (no pun intended), when the tank is near empty we will shut down the system and there will be no water for at least 24 hours.
  6. If we fully depressurize, it’s the usual boil water notice.
  7. We’re aware of at least three homes with frozen pipes at the moment, so there’s probably a dozen.  It could be a home or a service line, we just don’t know and with a fresh dump of snow, it will be difficult to find.
  8. We’re requesting conservation, but to be honest, we’ve never seen numerical evidence that it has been effective. 
  9. We’re requesting a perimeter check of each home by the residents. Thousands of gallons forming an ice sheet and flowing out can be pretty easy to spot. It’s very clear based on footprints around homes that hardly anyone does. That’s unfortunate as it will prolong the crisis, so please check and take notice if a neighbor hasn’t.

A new system and a new well will make these few and far between. Please, if you have not yet filled out the anonymous income survey, do so. We will be replacing the infrastructure. We’re all tired of the water and septic issues from the old systems. The only question is how much it’s going to cost. No surveys, much less access to affordable rates and grants.

Thanks,
Operations volunteers of SGC.

Water System Update: Sunday, Jan 25th, 2025.