A study by a DuPage Water Commission consultant shows conclusively what officials there have long suspected: that the capacity in the Lake Michigan water agency’s pipes has dropped by a significant amount.
Chicago-based Pitometer Associates recently told agency officials that the “C factor,” or ability of the commission to push water through its distribution pipes, is surprisingly low for pipes that are less than 10 years old, commission officials said.
Commissioner Allan Poole said the data showed that the average C factor of the commission’s existing pipes is about 32 percent lower than the C factor of a new pipe that was recently installed.
Commission officials believe the reduction in flow is being caused by a buildup of a chemical that the commission’s water supplier, Chicago, is using to eliminate lead and copper contamination. Unless the reduced flow can be reversed, the commission–and its customer communities–will face greater electricity costs and more capital costs for new pumps and additional pipelines.
“I wouldn’t expect the C factor to have gotten this low for another 50 years,” Poole said.
