Published: November 06, 2006 10:58 pm         

Wrong copper pipe installed at jail

Leaks causing replacement of water lines

Fourteen years after the Howard County Jail was constructed, the county is being forced to pay for the replacement of water lines.

County Building Supervisor Art Fross said Monday there are problems at the jail with the water lines. Copper pipes that were not installed up to the specifications of the contract.

Because of electrolysis, caused when two different metals are contacted, the copper pipes are deteriorating from the inside out, he said.

Howard County Commissioners approved spending $3,346 from the Cumulative Capital Fund to pay Benchmark Mechanical to replace 100 feet of pipe in the administration wing of the jail facility.

“This is money well spent,” Fross said. “We’re getting pinhole leaks.”

This is the second time the county has had to pay for the replacement of copper pipe, the first time the work was done in the kitchen area.

“All the copper piping put in the jail was not done according to the specifications,” Fross said. “The building is 14 years old, the warranties have run out. There is no one to enforce the specifications.”

The commissioners indicated that the construction managers on the jail should have realized the wrong pipe was being installed.

Scott Reed, assistant building supervisor, said there are three grades of copper pipe: residential, commercial and for underground use.

“According to the plans the heavier commercial grade pipe was supposed to be used,” he said. “Instead the residential grade was used.”

To correct a part of the problem, Benchmark Mechanical will install dielectric unions where the copper pipe is attached to another metal.

“That should correct the electrolysis,” Reed said.

“It is impossible to tell if this will be the last of the copper pipe that has to be reinstalled,” he said. “This may take care of it.”

     

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