107

THE KANSAS LIFELINE

July 2018

the system is at outside “Horsehead”

hydrants. Sometimes if they are not

fully closed, they will lose water

through the weep hole at the base of

the hydrant. 

The most memorable leak

The “most memorable leak” and one

that will always stick in my mind was

very unique. Lonnie and I were called

to assist on a large leak in a water

district that was operating all its wells

to maintain a supply. That was 335

gpm but the district continued to see a

reduction in the water level in their

elevated storage tank. Upon arrival, we

discussed which direction everyone

would go to inspect the lines. We

drove all the lines down to the 2-inch,

knowing it was next to impossible for

a 2-inch line to be leaking 335 gpm.

We then regrouped and quizzed the

new operator as what the district had

done recently with any waterlines

that might be contributing to a water

loss problem. The operator stated a

new bore was recently done in a

creek crossing. We then went and

inspected that situation; there was

no problem there. At about dark, I

asked again what was recently done

in the system. The operator stated

that the south standpipe had just

been sandblasted and painted. So we

proceeded to the standpipe. Upon

arrival it was apparent where the

leak was. The operator opened the

valve to fill the standpipe but forgot

to shut the drain valve. It was an

honest mistake, but one of the

easiest leaks to fix that I have ever

been involved with. 

The Kansas Rural Water

Association provides a great deal of

assistance concerning water loss

reduction from testing master

meters to searching for leaks. We

have crawled on hands and knees

through underbrush and worked in

almost every imagineable situation.

The assistance comes largely as a

benefit of the Clean Drinking Water

Fee and a contract administered

through the Kansas Water Office. Give

KRWA a call if anyone can be of help

on water loss reduction or any other

operation or management issue

concerning a water or wastewater

system. 

KRWA Tech Tony Kimmi uses sonic leak

detection equipment to try to further

isolate possible leak on service line to

this customer. 

It’s not uncommon for

a failed toilet tank

valve to allow 5,000 to

6,000 gallons per

month. 

Tony Kimmi has worked

as a Tech Assistant for

KRWA since October

2009. He has extensive

experience in the

operation of construction

equipment. He has

assisted in the

construction of several

rechlorination stations and ongoing

monitoring of water quality issues. 

Tony enjoys providing assistance to public

water systems.