Remember, if you sleep through a broken water main, millions of dollars of damage will occur. This broken water main at Wolcott and Montrose will cost a fortune to repair. I was amazed at all the workers waiting around to do something. To leave all these city workers standing around doing nothing is mismanagement. It might look good for the night news, but the cost is staggering. I hope when that piece of pipe is cut out, Spatz will investigate the cause. If the broken pipe is left in the yard rusting like the Lincoln Park Water main break, nothing will be learned. This is the type of water main break where an expert like James LoVerde should have taken command. Why is he retired and not on the public payroll like the other political hacks at water partners. Photo by Patrick McDonough
Comments
http://video.nbc5.com/player/?id=207982 Where is the shoring Maayor Daley?
Posted by: Water Department Employee with no Shoring | January 23, 2008 3:20 AM
http://cbs2chicago.com/local/montrose.water.main.2.635029.html
Posted by: Why did Tom leave a 36 inch water main on? | January 23, 2008 3:29 AM
Lets all stand around and look at the broken water main at $80.00 dollars an hour. Yee haaaa.. Forget the Olympics Daley, lets fix the streets. Spatz gain lots of weight, must be from the stress of trying to get politicians to work.
Posted by: Gee Golly Gosh! | January 23, 2008 3:43 AM
http://cbs2chicago.com/local/montrose.water.main.2.635029.html
"People affected by the water can file a claim with the city clerks office, but so far the city has not said whether it is liable for the damage."
Not liable?
The 'city'?
Wouldn't that be more accurately the city taxpayers?
Said taxpayers who've elected, or allowed to be elected, the very incompetent, dishonest, thieving rascals responsible for neglecting to do even the most meager of due diligence?
HAVE NO DOUBT, VOTE INCUMBENTS OUT
Posted by: We asked for it | January 23, 2008 7:34 PM
The city has 16 crews repairing broken mains and eight crews working to replace outdated mains, Murphy said. Thanks to a hike in the city's water rate, two more crews will be out this year replacing old mains, he said.
Murphy said it took several hours to shut off the water after the flood because workers had to close 8 to 11 difficult-to-reach valves by hand until a special piece of equipment was brought in from another district to speed up the job.
(Response) You are on the money!
Posted by: Devil in the details, today's tribune | January 23, 2008 8:57 PM
By Kristen Kridel | Tribune reporter
January 24, 2008
Although the city's Department of Water Management regularly gets reports of leaks, the department received no such warning in the days preceding Tuesday's water-main break and the sinkhole it opened in the Ravenswood neighborhood, officials said.
"There were no complaints to prompt us to monitor leaks," spokesman Tom LaPorte said Wednesday afternoon.
"This is what they call a blowout," he added. "That's a fairly sudden event."
Ravenswood water-main break unlikely to be city's last this year
The 100-year-old, 3-foot-wide iron pipe near Montrose Avenue and Honore Street burst about 1:30 a.m. Tuesday, causing the pavement to buckle and cave.
The rush of water created a gaping hole 15 feet deep and 80 feet in diameter that consumed everything from trees to parking signs and meters.
Vehicles parked on nearby roadways took on as much as 1 foot of water, and the basements of numerous residential and commercial buildings flooded.
Businesses on the block remained closed Wednesday. Officials said Tuesday that it may take a week to repair the pavement.
The foundation of a Mexican restaurant at 1825 W. Montrose Ave. separated from the footing, but the one-story building that also houses two other businesses should not need to be condemned, said Bill McCaffrey, spokesman for the Department of Buildings.
"That portion is being repaired," McCaffrey said.
LaPorte said the city monitors a number of minor leaks at any given time.
The process begins when someone reports water bubbling up from the ground at a place such as a sidewalk or parkway. After a report is filed, investigators assess the situation, LaPorte said. If the water is not causing an immediate danger and is draining into the sewer, the department schedules a repair at a later date and keeps an eye on the site.
Officials also constantly register water pressures through computers at 12 pumping stations, LaPorte said.
Just as there were no complaints about leaks in the area before Tuesday's break, there were no significant changes in water pressure recently, LaPorte said.
"It would take a fairly big break for a pressure problem to show up," he said.
Posted by: Chicago Water Boss lies to Media | January 25, 2008 12:18 AM
i am amazed at the amount of people who are not speaking up about this crook we have as mayor. there is total fear on one side and an "I could care less" attitude on the other side. and daley just ram rods his band of merry men to do what he wants. he knows he's untouchable by the local politicians because they fear him or he buys them off. I have been busy sending out emails to what ever sites I can find, including the inspector general. and I am demanding justice. everyone needs to get more involved. something needs to happen. listen, a lot of good has come to this city, but does that make it ok to trample on the middle class and jack up thier taxes. or does that make it right that daley's son can steal from the city for his own benefit and then run off to the army to escape justice.
Posted by: tom ryan | January 26, 2008 10:03 PM
Never let the truth get in the way of a good story.
Posted by: Arther Sellars | January 28, 2008 5:12 PM
"Never let the truth get in the way of a good story."
The motto of the Crook County Democratic Party.
Also the motto of the Repulsive Republican Party of Illinois.
Posted by: Web Watcher | January 30, 2008 1:25 PM