I live in an appartment building and have a main air-contition water drainage line running beside be appartment. The pipe recently broke and has caused extensive water damage. Is that water hazardous to our health? (I have a 6 month old daughter).
206363
The water draining from an air conditioner is generally just plain old water.  The water comes from moisture in the air that condenses when it hits the cold coils in the air conditioner.  The moisture condenses on the coils and collects in the drain pan.  The water itself should not be dangerous.  However, if the water has been leaking for an extended period of time, you may want to check the area for mold (or have it professionally tested).  Some people are very sensitive to mold spores and can suffer allergic reactions.\n\nIf this was a recent, one-time leak, you should not have any issues with mold.  Just make sure that any wet sheetrock or carpet is thoroughly dried.  You can use a dehumidifier and/or box fans for this.  Also, cleaning the wall or hard floors with a dilute solution of bleach will help prevent any mold formation.  \n\nMake sure you have that area well ventilated (open windows) while cleaning with bleach.  I would not use bleach on the carpet for obvious reasons, but a steam cleaner may be a good idea.  Just make sure to dry everything thoroughly when cleaning is complete.\n\nThe drain line was probably clogged by a buildup of slime that is common in A/C drain lines.  Th line can be cleared by flushing the line with a hose to blow out any clogs.  Then pour some bleach through the line to clear up any slime buildup.  Make sure the line is still connected to the drain (not broken) when you flush or treat with bleach.  Otherwise, you may end up with more water on the floor.
582852
You said the pipeline (suction or discharge?) was choking but did not say the pump was trouble. So why go to a gravity fed system? I would guess the pipes would continue to choke. The velocity might even be less in the gravity system and that could agravate the problem
597006
In Spain , they manage water better, their pipes are newer, don't leak 10,000,000 gallons a day, i agree that we are paying for a service and not getting 100% back. Mass investment is needed to replace the old pipes, that would entail a massive shutdown of water and stand pipes in the street. I could live with that for 2 days , if it meant i could water my daffs again !
376716
no\nthe water evaporates too fast to cause any harm
394699
If there is water damage GET OUT NOW!!! Fire damage can also cause problems and NO it is not safe to live in the house unless it has been restored by a professional.\nWater damage causes mold...black mold can cause death.
335646
Where is the spout pipe?  Where ever it is it's easy...  Just don't mix meters and cm.  Keep your units straight.  Reading again it does depend on the pressure of the inlet water.  You say "maintained" but from where?  1,200ft. above?
255815
It seems as if there are some external sources making them sick- do you live in a wet environment? Are there signs of mildew on the windows or walls? Do you have pets, especially ones that tramp around in the weeds? Where do you and/or your husband work? Bringing in something on your clothes from work that may be toxic? What type of cleaning products do you use? Are you spraying their toys/room with Febreeze?- this has been known to be dangerous to animals! You need to do some serious research around your house and track poosible sources of toxins coming in or growing in your house.Not enough info for now, sorry. Allergy testing should rule out foods, but not environment.
153550
It isn't uncommon to have to pay the sewer and water bills.  Typically many of the places I have rented paid for sewer/water, but it is much easier for the landlord to have you pay for it, especially if he has the plumming set up to be ran and metered for each individual apartment.  You landlord may be a pain, but don't think it has anything to do with him making you pay for your water usage.
544719
they usually spray some soapy water over the pipe and look for bubbles. it would be advisable not to lite a match near by.
667404
Have you tried the Police?  This sounds like an invasion of your privacy, or possibly just plain old harrassment, especially if you have told him that it bothers you.  Does your town have a Mosquito Abatement Program?  If so, call them.  It could be classified as TOXIC WASTE, especially if it is from a washing machine, sink drain or toilet.  You need documentation, so you also call your utility company to have someone come out to assess the situation.  Call the water company, the electric company & just tell them that there is a leak & you are concerned for the safety of your family.  Be specific.  If the water is crossing over are around any electrical outlet, appliance or anything that is electrical in nature, then call it in to the emergency repair dept. of your electric company.  Call the Fire Department if you have to, because this is wasted water, as far as you know!  What about your city council, zoning, building code department?  This is a building code violation & should be looked into.  If no one wants to help you , then go to your city newspaper & they may have some ideas.  Still, if no one is doing anything, go to your State & Federal Offices & report your City for not doing their job.  I would start with the Police, before it gets ugly.  This is serious & they should start your paper work by making a report for your protection, in case the neighbor goes after you.  You can have him/her arrested.  What about a citizens arrest for tresspassing?  Afterall, it is THEIR water on YOUR property.  Talk to the Watch Commander at your local Police Dept.
258849
Write your own essay...but water freezes when it is cold and becomes ice which expands causing the pipes to burst, that's why they need lagging/insulating to prevent this happening.
444409
If its during the construction phase of a project or during a remodel, it is also very easy to fix.  Usually, plumbing to a toilt or sink come up from the crawl space, floor slab, or basement.  insteading placing an elbow and turning out the wall, you place an in-line "tee".  The branch of the tee goes out the wall to the stop cock and then on to the toilet or sink.  on the top of the tee still in the wall, place 6 or 8 inches of pipe and cap off the top of it.  this too will cause an air pocket to dampen the effects of sudden changes in flow.
341030
There are two components to the pressure in the pipe. First is the pressure due to gravity. Lets assume for a moment that the pipe at point "b" is open, that is that the water flows out of the pipe at that point. There will be no pressure at point "b" due to gravity since there is no water above point "b". On the other hand, there is pressure due to gravity at point "a", as a result of the water in the pipe above point "a". \n\nNow we consider the component of pressure due to the water flowing from point "a" to point "b". As long as there is no friction between the pipe and the water (which of course there is in reality), the pressure due to the flow will be the same at point "a" as it is at point "b".\n\nSo, altogether, the pressure at point "a" will be higher, solely due to the "weight" of the water in the pipe pushing down on it.\n\nHope this helps.
187315
No they aren't, provided you eat healthy and what not, you should be fine, just eat more fiber if you are worried about it. I don't know about you but the thought of a hose that shoots water up my rear isn't appealing in the least sense.
113683
Sounds like a sewer or septic problem, possibly a burst pipe. By your info it might be either. Does it smell bad outside? If it does then its more than likely a sewer/septic problem, like a back up.
587968
To keep our used water from spoiling our water resources, we have to remove the pollutants before the water gets back into the environment. In urban areas in most developed countries, the wastewater from homes, businesses and factories is collected by a system of underground pipes-- sewers-- which carry it to one or more central treatment facilites. Most of these are located near bodies of water into which the treated wastewater is discharged. \n\nIn the U.S., all such facilites must have a permit issued by the federal and/or state government, describing limits on the amounts of various pollutants which may be discharged. The U.S. EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) refers to these as NPDES (National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System) permits. Industries located in areas where they are not connected to a sewer can discharge directly into a waterway, but will need a permit, and will probably have to have their own treatment plants. Even industries which are connected to sewers may have to pretreat their wastewaters before discharging them into the sewers, because they may contain materials which will harm the sewers or the treatment plants-- or may be a danger to the people who work in maintaining the sewer system.\n[If you are some one who works in an industrial pretreatment program, you may be aware that the USEPA has recently (July 22, 1999) proposed a series of changes to the current regulations. I have prepared a summary of the proposals which you may find helpful before reading the entire document.] \n\nHomes in non-urban areas that are not connected to a sewer are usually required by their town to have on-site treatment systems. Most common for single homes are septic systems, which consist of a buried tank connected to a set of perforated pipes, embedded in gravel, which distribute the water into the soil. (The "Links" page has several references on this subject.) Larger housing complexes may have treatment systems based on the principles used in full-scale sewage treatment plants. \n\n\nA Word About Sewers: Besides having a set of sewer pipes-- called, strangely enough, sanitary sewers-- which carry wastewater to a treatment plant, cities and towns also need pipes to collect stormwater. These are needed to prevent street flooding and usually lead directly to a waterway without any treatment. The runoff of pollutants from streets and yards into these storm sewers contain oil and other automotive wastes, which may contain toxic metals and organic compounds-- as well as pesticides and nutrient-containing fertilizers from lawns and gardens, and pathogenic microorganisms from animal wastes. The problem of pollution from storm sewers is currently being addressed by the USEPA. Further complicating the situation is the fact that while some cities and towns have completely separate sanitary and storm sewer systems, many others have combined systems. During rainy periods, combined sewers cause two problems: overloading of the treatment plant with extra water and contaminating waterways with untreated sewage from overflows. Even in cities with separate sewer systems, the flows to the treatment plants often increase greatly when it rains because of cracks or separations in the pipes, which allow groundwater or stormwater from broken storm sewer pipes to infiltrate into the sanitary sewer-- or from direct inflow of stormwater into manholes and from illegal connections of roof drains and sump pumps in buildings.*
479638
It's okay! Given the water is clean. You can also try the bath tub faucet. You can let the water run over you with your legs up against the wall or edge of the tub.