A giant mound of dead zebra mussels is putting at risk the city’s ability to deliver water
Zebra mussels clog city's water intake pipe
Published: July 21, 2009, 7:49 am
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Imagine a giant mound of dead zebra mussels piled eight feet high.
Now picture this mountain of shells stationed at the opening of a Lake Erie intake pipe that supplies water to homes and businesses throughout the city.
That is the headache facing Buffalo’s Water Department — a dilemma that might end up costing several million dollars to solve.
The underwater graveyard proves that the chlorine treatment system for controlling zebra mussels in its water intakes is working. But no steps have been taken to remove the accumulation of shells since the control system was installed in the early 1990s. In one spot, the shells are blocking about two-thirds of the pipe’s opening.
Fortunately, the water system isn’t operating at even close to capacity, so the shells haven’t caused any problems at this point.
“It’s not catastrophic right now, but we definitely have to put a plan together,” said City Engineer Peter J. Merlo.
Divers from the Buffalo police Underwater Recovery Unit made the discovery during a routine maintenance inspection that was part of a recent training exercise.
During subsequent brainstorming sessions, some city officials raised the possibility of grinding up the shells into a powder- like substance, then discharging it back into the lake. While the process would be much cheaper than hauling the shells to a landfill using a barge, Water Board Chairman Oluwole A. McFoy said the state Department of Environmental Conservation told officials that dumping the debris back into the lake isn’t an option.
So engineers and water system experts are trying to pinpoint the most cost-effective way to remove the shells.
“We don’t have $4 million or $5 million built into our capital budget,” McFoy said.
That’s how much it could cost to have divers remove the debris and haul it to a landfill, Merlo said.
“There’s nothing more expensive than divers in the construction business,” Merlo said.
One alternative might involve contracting with Police Department divers to perform the underwater tasks, a move that could slash costs in half. However, city officials pointed out that a process must be followed, including soliciting requests for proposals from prospective companies.
Whatever the price tag, water users will pay the freight.
“We want to minimize the effects on our ratepayers,” Merlo said.
If the costs end up being several million dollars, the Water Board would likely fund the project over a period of years through its capital budget.
The zebra mussel, named because of its distinctive stripes, is a clamlike freshwater animal native to Europe and the eastern Soviet Union. The mussel has posed problems in European waterways for centuries. It began invading the Great Lakes in the late 1980s.
The city implemented a control system that has been effective elsewhere in preventing zebra mussels from clogging water pipes. Low levels of chlorine are pumped into the intake. This prevents the mussel, which can grow up to 3 inches long, from establishing colonies in the pipes.
Why hasn’t the city been checking for dead mussels on a regular basis?
City officials thought the chlorine injections had prevented an extensive spread of the mussels in the intake, Merlo said. While the system has been effective in preventing the pesky animals from latching on to pipes and thriving for long periods, it’s now clear that some spread has occurred.
“We’re going to have to do annual maintenance,” Merlo said.
bmeyer@buffnews.com
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