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The city of Pipestone is losing less water that it was a few years ago.
According to information provided by Water/Wastewater Supervisor Joel Adelman, the city lost 63,347,750 gallons of water in 2018, meaning it was pumped out, but did not pass through commercial or residential meters. That’s 35 percent of the water that was pumped and an amount of water equivalent to $893,836.75 based on water rates at the time. That was the worst year, in terms of water loss for the city, since at least 2011. Adelman said broken water mains or other issues could have played a part.
In 2019, the amount of water lost was about half what it was in 2018. Then in 2020, the amount of water increased again to 39,515,600 gallons lost, which was 24.09 percent of water that was pumped and an amount of water equal to $675,716.76.
Since then, the amount of water lost has steadily declined. In 2023, 19,838,600 gallons were lost, which was 13.59 percent, and an amount of water equal to $357,094.80 based on water rates then. So far this year, 1,616,800 gallons have been lost, which is 7.8 percent, and equivalent to $33,144.40.
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources suggests that cities establish a goal for unaccounted for water and indicates that the American Water Works Association, a nonprofit organization that provides water solutions to assure the effective management of water, recommends less than 10 percent.
“We’re going in the right direction,” Adelman told Pipestone City Council members when he presented some of the water loss information to them during their April 1 meeting.
He said the primary factor accounting for the reduction in the amount of water lost is likely the replacement of the underground piping. That’s occurred primarily during the infrastructure projects the city takes on each year, and also when leaks have been discovered and fixed at other times.
“I think you could definitely point towards construction projects that have probably reduced this water that’s unaccounted for,” Adelman said. “I think that’s a lot of it.”
The city will replace an additional eight blocks of water mains this year as part of a street and utility improvement project along East Main Street from Eighth Avenue to Second Avenue.
Adelman said other factors could include improved metering and less water use. The average amount of water pumped since 2011 has been 153,779,286 and the last two years it’s been 149,448,000 and 145,939,000. The highest amount pumped during that time was 183,409,750 in 2018 and the lowest was 142,024,100 in 2011.
Whatever factors are involved, Adelman said reducing the amount of water lost reduces the amount of money spent on chemicals used to treat the water, and wear and tear on equipment.
“I think it’s just a good situation for the city to have their dollars and cents together, so they know where things are going,” Adelman said.
