After yet another weekend of filthy water, Tuckerman Water Superintendent Terry Geaslin reports that he hopes to have the elevated water towers operational by the end of the week.
The towers were taken out of service on April 27 for necessary painting, repairs and sterilization. Since they were drained, the city's water has come from an 80,000 gallon underground storage tank that is operated by a 75 horse power motor pumping 24 hours a day to ensure that the pressure remains the same. Not only has the use of the underground tanks cost the city more, it has also cost the citizens more heartache by providing water that was less than appealing to drink, bathe, or wash clothes in.
According to Geaslin, the main cause of the increase in brown water over the last couple of months is the lack of backwashing capabilities. With the towers down, the city has not been able to open the water lines and remove the settled contents of the pipes.
Hopefully good news will come soon to Tuckerman's citizens with the promise of progress. Geaslin said that he expected to have the tanks filled by Tuesday evening. Once they have been filled, they will have to set for 24 to 48 hours and will then be tested by the Arkansas Department of Health to ensure that the water meets the health department's requirements for safe usage. After two consecutive tests return normal, the tanks will be opened for use by the city again. If the tests returns are below the state's requirements, resterilization will be required and retesting will be done.
"Hopefully by Friday the elevated tower will be fully online and we can turn our pumps off," Tuckerman Alderman Jarrod Bowen said Tuesday.
|
|
|
After yet another weekend of filthy water, Tuckerman Water Superintendent Terry Geaslin reports that he hopes to have the elevated water towers operational by the end of the week.
The towers were taken out of service on April 27 for necessary painting, repairs and sterilization. Since they were drained, the city's water has come from an 80,000 gallon underground storage tank that is operated by a 75 horse power motor pumping 24 hours a day to ensure that the pressure remains the same. Not only has the use of the underground tanks cost the city more, it has also cost the citizens more heartache by providing water that was less than appealing to drink, bathe, or wash clothes in.
According to Geaslin, the main cause of the increase in brown water over the last couple of months is the lack of backwashing capabilities. With the towers down, the city has not been able to open the water lines and remove the settled contents of the pipes.
Hopefully good news will come soon to Tuckerman's citizens with the promise of progress. Geaslin said that he expected to have the tanks filled by Tuesday evening. Once they have been filled, they will have to set for 24 to 48 hours and will then be tested by the Arkansas Department of Health to ensure that the water meets the health department's requirements for safe usage. After two consecutive tests return normal, the tanks will be opened for use by the city again. If the tests returns are below the state's requirements, resterilization will be required and retesting will be done.
"Hopefully by Friday the elevated tower will be fully online and we can turn our pumps off," Tuckerman Alderman Jarrod Bowen said Tuesday.
