Portland decides not toss an entire reservoir because someone peed in it

Water in an open-air reservoir won't be wasted due to a urination incident. Yet.

Read the whole story

 

[Wheels Of Confusion]

.... why?

 

[planB]

Wheels Of Confusion[/url]":isu336k4].... why?

to "see how long it stays fresh and clear,"

I completely understand, as I tend to let my filtered water sit in the fridge for a while before I dare drink it. If it stayed fresh for an hour or two, then I know it won't go bad shortly thereafter.

 

[Astramancer]

planB[/url]":1g1kpfmo]

Wheels Of Confusion[/url]":1g1kpfmo].... why?

to "see how long it stays fresh and clear,"

I completely understand, as I tend to let my filtered water sit in the fridge for a while before I dare drink it. If it stayed fresh for an hour or two, then I know it won't go bad shortly thereafter.

There's your problem! You're supposed to let it sit in a bucket in your yard for a few weeks to make sure it stays fresh.

 

[boogityman]

By this homeopathic logic, you may has well nuke the reservoir that got peed in AND the one the water will be transferred to along with every pipe that will be used in the transfer.... You can never be too safe!!!!!

 

[Mr_Cynical]

If it's presumably filtered before it gets to customers anyway (since animals can defecate, and die, in it) then what exactly is the problem here?

 

[NinJustin]

It's an open air reservoir right? I'm sure they can't keep birds from flying over it or polluted water from falling in it.

 

[shav]

What is some of the mans pee had leached into the walls of the reservoir? I really think they should destroy the entire thing and build a new one. Its the only way to be sure.

/s

 

[Daniel]

It is being moved to another reservoir for lots of animals to pee in... wait!

 

[StickyPad]

Pour a gallon of bleach in there for appearance's sake and be done with it. While I'll admit some numbskull peeing in it is gross so is a dead bird decomposing in the reservoir. Emptying the reservoir is silly. Still, I'd love to see some serious penalties for idiots who are stupid enough to mess with a reservoir.

 

[flunk]

So... Portland doesn't do any water treatment of any kind?

I'm sure they do. Assuming this water is pre-treatment for consumption this is not even a slight concern. What to people think happens to water to rivers, lakes and open reservoirs normally? This is the stupidest news story of the year.

 

[vudaful]

I'd be more worried about the animal carcasses and animal deification before one man's pee. At least it was sterile.

 

[Cheefachi]

There are some municipalities in California that are begging for peed-in water, any water.

 

[caseyjohnston]

flunk[/url]":3py1ecmv]So... Portland doesn't do any water treatment of any kind?

I'm sure they do. Assuming this water is pre-treatment for consumption this is not even a slight concern. What to people think happens to water to rivers, lakes and open reservoirs normally? This is the stupidest news story of the year.

They do. No one is drinking straight from it except, presumably, the surrounding flora and fauna. There is, ostensibly, some deer/skunk/squirrel spit in there.

 

[paranoidkitten]

It's funnier knowing that they could probably sell the water pretty easily rather then just dumping it... theres no agriculture in oregon I guess?

 

[eXceLon]

Mr_Cynical[/url]":16vnr5b8]If it's presumably filtered before it gets to customers anyway (since animals can defecate, and die, in it) then what exactly is the problem here?

Nope, that's the problem. These are holding pools for finished, already treated water.

The EPA has mandated that they switch to covered reservoirs for "finished drinking water", but those efforts won't be complete in Portland until 2020.

Portland has a schedule to replace its open finished drinking water reservoirs with enclosed storage by December 31, 2020.

 

[IanSt]

Just as well they don't just dump it. Chances are it would find its way into rivers, and ultimately the oceans. Jusy think of the consequences if the Pacific became contaminated with this. Within a few months, the entire worlds water supply could be affected.

 

[JoelBennett]

eXceLon[/url]":1jt235ti]

Mr_Cynical[/url]":1jt235ti]If it's presumably filtered before it gets to customers anyway (since animals can defecate, and die, in it) then what exactly is the problem here?

Nope, that's the problem. These are holding pools for finished, already treated water.

The EPA has mandated that they switch to covered reservoirs for "finished drinking water", but those efforts won't be complete in Portland until 2020.

Portland has a schedule to replace its open finished drinking water reservoirs with enclosed storage by December 31, 2020.

Honestly? Who thought that that was ever a good idea?

 

[FXWizard]

vudaful[/url]":2gbzco0d]I'd be more worried about the animal carcasses and animal deification before one man's pee. At least it was sterile.

Holy crap!

 

[zpletan]

shav[/url]":1bd7ea45]What is some of the mans pee had leached into the walls of the reservoir? I really think they should destroy the entire thing and build a new one. Its the only way to be sure.

/s

Nuke it from orbit. That's the only way to be sure.

 

[dmsilev]

Destroy the water? So, they're going to crack it all to hydrogen and oxygen? Or would that not be sufficient, and proper destruction would require sourcing an appropriate amount of antiwater?

 

[cmrcmk]

JoelBennett[/url]":15p85pzh]

eXceLon[/url]":15p85pzh]

Mr_Cynical[/url]":15p85pzh]If it's presumably filtered before it gets to customers anyway (since animals can defecate, and die, in it) then what exactly is the problem here?

Nope, that's the problem. These are holding pools for finished, already treated water.

The EPA has mandated that they switch to covered reservoirs for "finished drinking water", but those efforts won't be complete in Portland until 2020.

Portland has a schedule to replace its open finished drinking water reservoirs with enclosed storage by December 31, 2020.

Honestly? Who thought that that was ever a good idea?

Accountants.

 

[Wyrmaster]

First we claim we'll never use this water. Then we take this water and put it over there. Then once everyone has forgotten about this water, we use it!!!!

What I would do in this situation, and why I'm not in charge of anything.

 

[davnel]

Well, let's see. Average excretion amounts to maybe 12 to 16 oz, or a half-quart, or 1/8 gallon. In a reservoir of 35 Meelion gallons that's one part in 280 million or far less than the FDA standard for most poisons. Who'd notice it? Must be just the idea, not the fact.

Sorry, had to get the numbers right.

 

[Shinzakura]

caseyjohnston[/url]":mc3gktdj]

flunk[/url]":mc3gktdj]So... Portland doesn't do any water treatment of any kind?

I'm sure they do. Assuming this water is pre-treatment for consumption this is not even a slight concern. What to people think happens to water to rivers, lakes and open reservoirs normally? This is the stupidest news story of the year.

They do. No one is drinking straight from it except, presumably, the surrounding flora and fauna. There is, ostensibly, some deer/skunk/squirrel spit in there.

Oh my god that's so much worse! Time to destroy every component atom of the water, the reservoir walls and the surrounding countryside! It's For The Children! /s

 

[sfurman]

I am going to reveal a secret: fish fuck in there too!

Nuke it, I say nuke it NOW - there is no other way...
:facepalm:

 

[beebee]

Carewolf[/url]":1p2zqry9]

NinJustin[/url]":1p2zqry9]It's an open air reservoir right? I'm sure they can't keep birds from flying over it or polluted water from falling in it.

Who in their right mind would drink water from an open air reservoir anyway? I guess they just ruin the water with chlorin to keep it from spreading diseases all the time.

Most reservoirs are open.

 

[haar]

shav[/url]":3n1yk5db]What if some of the mans pee had leached into the walls of the reservoir? I really think they should destroy the entire thing and build a new one. Its the only way to be sure.

/s

so true!... (with a minor spelling correction)

 

[bburdge]

Wheels Of Confusion[/url]":1jybjpqf].... why?

I think one of the problems is that all these open air reservoirs are going to be decommissioned in the next 6 years. So now there will be a bunch of old empty reservoirs sitting around.

Seems reasonable to see if some/all of these can be repurposed as ponds, so it seems like this is an experiment to see what happens with water just sitting in these reservoirs - does it stagnate and breed mosquitoes? Will a pond ecosystem develop refreshing the water naturally? (doesn't seem likely, I would think it needs to be seeded with aquatic plants, fish, etc.)

 

[Vacpower]

And that's why we should always store our water in disposable 2L plastic bottles.

 

[HexRei]

eXceLon[/url]":gomyhcm0]

Mr_Cynical[/url]":gomyhcm0]If it's presumably filtered before it gets to customers anyway (since animals can defecate, and die, in it) then what exactly is the problem here?

Nope, that's the problem. These are holding pools for finished, already treated water.

The EPA has mandated that they switch to covered reservoirs for "finished drinking water", but those efforts won't be complete in Portland until 2020.

Portland has a schedule to replace its open finished drinking water reservoirs with enclosed storage by December 31, 2020.

I'm certain there is filtration of some kind past the reservoir outlets, even if just a sieve grating or something to keep larger particles and solids out. I've lived here most of my life in a dozen or so different places around the city and never had a dead fly come out of my faucet, for example. But that wouldn't help with urine.

 

[DCRoss]

Waitaminute. What if some of the contaminated water has _evaporated_ over the last two weeks? There could be pee in the air! Does Portland want to be known as the city that breathes pee?

After all, the water bureau's customers have an expectation that their atmosphere has not been deliberately contaminated.

 

[scotts13]

Bill Murray could scrub out the reservoir after he finishes the pool...

 

[Antron Argaiv]

caseyjohnston[/url]":3azizys9]

flunk[/url]":3azizys9]So... Portland doesn't do any water treatment of any kind?

I'm sure they do. Assuming this water is pre-treatment for consumption this is not even a slight concern. What to people think happens to water to rivers, lakes and open reservoirs normally? This is the stupidest news story of the year.

They do. No one is drinking straight from it except, presumably, the surrounding flora and fauna. There is, ostensibly, some deer/skunk/squirrel spit in there.

And thus, RABIES!

(all the raccoons and skunks in New England are assumed to be rabid)

Seriously -- is there no scientifically competent person in Portland's water department, authorized to speak to the media? It's like asking the Kansas state school board to expound on science education.

 

[M-S-G]

There is an OutKast song somewhere in there...

 

[qazwart]

Mr_Cynical[/url]":39u25diq]If it's presumably filtered before it gets to customers anyway (since animals can defecate, and die, in it) then what exactly is the problem here?

Yes. but that's natural! It has a completely different karma and chi energy flow. I'm sure that has to affect the chemistry!

 

[ForeverCynical]

JoelBennett[/url]":3oqhngg2]

eXceLon[/url]":3oqhngg2]

Mr_Cynical[/url]":3oqhngg2]If it's presumably filtered before it gets to customers anyway (since animals can defecate, and die, in it) then what exactly is the problem here?

Nope, that's the problem. These are holding pools for finished, already treated water.

The EPA has mandated that they switch to covered reservoirs for "finished drinking water", but those efforts won't be complete in Portland until 2020.

Portland has a schedule to replace its open finished drinking water reservoirs with enclosed storage by December 31, 2020.

Honestly? Who thought that that was ever a good idea?

Remember, this reservoir was created in the 30's when Portland was exclusively populated by manly loggers and fishermen. They didn't freak out when somebody peed in the water supply. They drank it anyway! And enjoyed it. That and the peed-in reservoir water had less pee in it than what they were used to drinking. They would probably complain that the water didn't taste like it used to.