Officials report no water loss during month of February

Officials anticipate seeing some losses again.
By JOHN W. GOODWIN JR.
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
HUBBARD -- Unchecked loss of water from various sources can cost the city money, and officials are happy to have put a plug in such losses -- for now.
Al Patrick, city services director, said Hubbard -- like most any other city -- experiences a certain amount of water loss through line breaks and leaks. The city, however, did not lose any water during February, meaning every drop of water in the city went to good use.
During the 28-day month, Patrick said, city residents used about 29 million gallons of water with no loss.
"That doesn't happen in very many cities," he said. "We didn't lose one pint of water."
The city has never seen a zero loss in water since it began supplying to city residents.
The city supplies water to its residents via Aqua Ohio. About 3,600 homes buy water from the city. Patrick could not say how much the city saves with reduced losses, but said any reduction in water loss translates to less money out of city coffers.
What's normal
According to Patrick, normal water loss is between 15 percent and 18 percent. During the month of February last year the city saw a loss of more than 30 percent of water used, because of line breaks. The average monthly loss last year was 19.5 percent.
Patrick attributes the more efficient water use to a lowering of the pressure of water flowing through the pipes, reducing the stress put on the aging system and reducing the potential for line breaks.
The city's good water fortune, however, is not likely to last, he said.
A certain amount of water loss is expected, Patrick said, and officials expect there to be more loss.
"We are elated that, at least for now, we got this down to a zero loss," he said.