Report Tree Damage!

The Inverness Forest Association is surveying the damage to common area trees that was caused by the storm this past Sunday.  Please send me an email describing any situation that might pose a danger to residents.  Be as specific as possible about the location of the tree.

I will collect all the email I receive from the community and forward them to the people doing the survey.  We are requesting bids from tree companies we've used in the past.

Please send your email reporting tree damage to me at:

iftblog@gmail.com

Thanks,

Harvey

Harvey Levine

IFA Treasurer

More Info on Water Restrictions

Water restrictions are now lifted as of July 6, 2010

WSSC Lifts Mandatory Water Restrictions
Section of 96-inch Pipe is Successfully Replaced
Customers Can Return to Normal Usage

(Laurel, MD, July 6, 2010) General Manager Jerry N. Johnson has announced the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission (WSSC) is lifting the Mandatory Water Use Restrictions, effective immediately. WSSC serves customers in Montgomery and Prince George’s counties.

“Our pipe is back in service. I want to thank our customers who were unavoidably inconvenienced by these water restrictions,” said Johnson. “We made the right decision and took the proper precautions when we decided to immediately repair the pipe. The restrictions were unfortunate, but necessary. We needed to be proactive to prevent what could have been a very serious situation.”

In addition, WSSC continued the restrictions through Tuesday to make certain that the water meets state water quality standards and ensure the health and safety of our customers. WSSC has never had a drinking water violation in 92 years of operation. Tests confirmed this morning that those standards have been met. The pipe was put back in service and now the water use restrictions have been lifted.

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July 2, 2010 - 2:00 PM Update:

Water pressure within the county remains at acceptable levels, however, residents continue to use more water during daylight hours than the system is producing.  For this reason, Montgomery County would like to continue to remind citizens serviced by WSSC to abide by the WSSC Water use restrictions

Repairs will continue around the clock until complete. Until that time it is imperative that all business and residential customers:



·         Stop all outside water use – no watering lawns, no washing cars, no topping off swimming pools

·         Use water only as necessary – i.e., shorter showers and turn off faucets after washing hands

·         Limit flushing toilets (do not flush after every use)

·         Limit using washing machines and dishwashers (wash full loads only)

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In response to yesterday's post about a damaged water pipe that is effecting 1.8 million residents in Montgomery and Price George's county, Inverness Forest resident Robert de Sugny has forwarded the following information from "Alert Montgomery".

The pictures are from a set I took this morning and submitted to the Potomac Almanac for publication.

Mandatory Water Restrictions In Effect for WSSC Customers


For the next few days while the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission (WSSC) repairs a major water main in Montgomery County, water supplies will be reduced by about 30 percent.  There will be enough water for most indoor water uses  However, it is essential that WSSC customers conserve water whenever possible so that fire and rescue services, hospitals and other emergency services will be unaffected. Until the restrictions are lifted, here’s what you need to know:

Outdoor Water Use is Banned

Lawn watering
Homeowner car washing
Filling or topping off private pools
Washing outdoor paved surfaces

Conserve Water Indoors

Use dishwashers and washing machines with full loads only.
Decrease shower time.
Turn off the water while shaving or brushing teeth.
Take this opportunity to check all faucets, pipes and toilets for leaks and repair them.  Leaks can waste 10 percent of a household’s water use.
Install a low-flow shower head if you don’t already have one to save water and energy.


Here are the answers to some questions you might have:


If the problem is in Potomac, why do all customers need to conserve? The 96-inch main is a major transmission main within WSSC’s distribution system. If customers do not conserve, some users could experience a drop in water pressure.


Will the quality of my water be affected? No.  WSSC will continue to supply safe, clean drinking water while repairs are made.

Could this affect fire protection? Yes, if people don’t conserve and water pressure drops.  WSSC is in contact with local fire departments so they can take appropriate measures.


Are swimming pools affected? Yes.  All pools are included in the restrictions; public, private and commercial should not be topping off and should refrain from any non-essential use of water.


Are car washes affected?  Car washes are NOT affected if they recycle their water.


How do I report a violation of the restrictions? In Montgomery County, call 311. Your call will then be referred to the appropriate enforcement agency for follow up. Violators could receive a $500 ticket.


Where can I get more information?

1) Sign up for Alert Montgomery at https://alert.montgomerycountymd.gov   2) Check www.montgomerycountymd.gov  for updates (remember to refresh your browser) or call the WSSC Emergency Call Center at 301-206-4002; Toll free: 1-800-828-6439; TTY:  301-206-8345.

Sent to All users (E-mail accounts) through Alert Montgomery
... powered by the Roam Secure Alert Network
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- You received this message because you are registered on Alert Montgomery or on one of the local municipalities' alerting systems.
- If you are registered on Alert Montgomery you can update your account or authenticate this alert by going to https://alert.montgomerycountymd.gov/myalertlog.php?s_alert_id=5300
- Tell others about Alert Montgomery! Have them sign-up for this free county service at https://alert.montgomerycountymd.gov=

Huge Water Pipe in Danger of Bursting

Board member Elliot Postow has alerted the board to a breaking story.  Elliot says, "There is a big problem with a  96" water main at Tuckerman and Gainsborough.  This is the largest in the WSSC system, the River Rd main was 66".  Elliot has provided a link to the online Washington Post story.  Here is an excerpt:

The WSSC is advising customers to stop all outside water use and to limit flushing toilets and use of washing machines and dishwashers.
The agency issued the restrictions after an inspection found a failing 96-inch water main near the corner of Tuckerman Lane and Gainsborough Road in Potomac. Repairs are underway to ensure that fire departments in Montgomery and Prince George's counties have adequate pressure to fight fires.
The 96-inch concrete pipe -- the biggest in WSSC's system -- was installed in 1969 and was last inspected three years ago, WSSC spokesman Jim Neustadt said. After that inspection, crews left behind fiber-optic equipment to detect the "ping" sounds created when the reinforcing steel wires snap from corrosion after groundwater seeps through the pipe's decaying concrete walls.
It was a relative flurry of "ping" sounds -- one detected Tuesday afternoon and seven more within a half-hour just after midnight Wednesday -- that triggered an alarm warning that the pipe was in danger of bursting, Neustadt said.  

Please follow this advise on water usage (from the Post article) for the next several days so that the fire departments in Montgomery and Price George's Counties will have adequate water pressure to fight fires.

About 1.8 million people in Montgomery and Prince George's counties have been ordered to stop watering their lawns and washing their cars and limit their use of toilets, dishwashers and washing machines through the Fourth of July weekend after officials shut down a huge water main in Potomac on Thursday.

 Here is the link to the Washington Post Article:

Washington Post story on a possible bursting water pipe

Cars and Robbers

I've received a some reports in the past few weeks of some late-night attempts to remove items from parked cars.  Generally the attempts were unsuccessful because the cars were locked, someone observed the nefarious activities and called the police, or because there was nothing of value to steal.  There have been some small, portable items (like iPods and portable GPS devices) taken.

There seems to be a pattern to these attempted robberies.  The vandals work individually or in small groups.  They walk along a row of cars searching for unlocked doors.  When they find a car with an unlocked door they make a quick search for small, portable valuables to grab.  They run away when someone notices them and yells or calls the police.

I have not had any reports of these robbers trying to force the locks of locked cars.  I suppose the time it takes and noise it makes to break into a car makes it more likely that the potential robbers will be spotted and the police called. 

To thwart these potential robbers some obvious steps should be taken.  Please lock all car doors when leaving your vehicle.  Even if you think you might be returning to your car shortly, lock the doors.  Often plans change and the car is left unlocked overnight.   Also, don't leave small, valuable, electronic devices or other obviously valuable items in plain sight in your car.  Hide them out of sight or even better, bring them inside.

As always, your comments are welcome.  Please click on the word "comment(s)" below.


Harvey Levine
Inverness Today Blog
iftblog@gmail.com

Help Us Clean Up the Woods

Don Vicars, the volunteer in charge of the maintenance of our trees and the woods, is organizing a cleanup of the woods this weekend.  Don writes the following:

The woods are an important asset to our community.   But like a garden, they require maintenance to stay healthy and look natural.  Each year, we have our tree vendor cut down dead trees and branches that are dangerous.   Other things fall on their own.   And homeowners put branches and shrubs in the woods.   It all adds up to wood on the ground.   A little wood scattered in the forest is healthy and looks natural.   Too much becomes a problem.

There are problem spots in the IFA forest that would benefit from a cleanup.  We are seeking volunteers this Sat, 6/19 to help cleanup large branches and small fallen trees that have accumulated over the years.  If you are interested in helping, please leave your name and number and someone will contact you.

Don has asked me to compile a list of volunteers and their phone numbers.  He will phone the volunteers and make arrangements for this Saturday's cleanup.  If you are interested in helping the community with this cleanup, please email me your name and phone number and I'll pass that information to Don.  My email address is at the bottom.

Thanks,

Harvey Levine
Inverness Today Blog
iftblog@gmail.com