Wooden Water Main Pipes

[Detroitnerd]

I do recall stories of still-in-use 19th Century wooden mains being dug up when they upgraded the utilities in Brush Park a decade ago. So I wouldn't be surprised if there are others elsewhere.

The science goes, more or less, that wood doesn't rot when it's always full of water. Every 40 years, another water main job uncovers the "last" wooden pipe in Detroit.

[corktownyuppie]

The science goes, more or less, that wood doesn't rot when it's always full of water. Every 40 years, another water main job uncovers the "last" wooden pipe in Detroit.

I'm certainly not an expert, so there's my disclaimer first. Wood mains when coated on the outside [[tar? rubber?) can supposedly last for a long time.

To my knowledge the problem with DWSD water mains is that many of them are brick and mortar. Of course, just like brick and mortar above ground, they're subject to the same issues of water freezing, expanding a crack, rinse and repeat.

[Detroitnerd]

I'm certainly not an expert, so there's my disclaimer first. Wood mains when coated on the outside [[tar? rubber?) can supposedly last for a long time.

To my knowledge the problem with DWSD water mains is that many of them are brick and mortar. Of course, just like brick and mortar above ground, they're subject to the same issues of water freezing, expanding a crack, rinse and repeat.

Well, not necessarily. If these lines are [[a) below the frost line and [[b) always flowing at service water pressure anyway, then how does the water freeze?

My information on wooden pipes comes from A Splintered History of Wood."

[Smirnoff]

Well, not necessarily. If these lines are [[a) below the frost line and [[b) always flowing at service water pressure anyway, then how does the water freeze?

My information on wooden pipes comes from A Splintered History of Wood."

[[a) Many are not under the frost line.....

[Detroitnerd]

[[a) Many are not under the frost line.....

Well, I wonder what the science is. Maybe it's like when you keep your faucet dripping during a freezing night so the pipes won't burst. As long as water is moving through ... even incrementally ... that may be enough to keep it from freezing.

Anyway, I'd rather have wooden pipes than a wooden head like Patterson.

[Honky Tonk]

I'm certainly not an expert, so there's my disclaimer first. Wood mains when coated on the outside [[tar? rubber?) can supposedly last for a long time.

To my knowledge the problem with DWSD water mains is that many of them are brick and mortar. Of course, just like brick and mortar above ground, they're subject to the same issues of water freezing, expanding a crack, rinse and repeat.

LBP is painting a picture, but he isn't staying between the lines. I didn't hear the speech, but if he's insinuating that ALL of Detroit's water system is running through wooden pipes, then, as another poster so aptly put it, "he's full of shit". HOWEVER, I have no doubt, that in some very old sections of Detroit, some of the old wooden, hollowed out log pipes still exist, and are even functioning. Why? Here is a long, drawn out scientific explanation:


http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1247634/

There are businesses retrieving, drying out old growth, sunken piers, etc. and making boards out of it. As long as those wooden pipes remain buried and wet, they'll be fine.