Politics & Government

Guilford Reservoir to be Temporarily Drained

Crews need to search for places to place tanks in the reservoir.

The Baltimore City Department of Public Works will begin to drain the Guilford Reservoir next week.

The reservoir will be emptied and out of service for up to seven weeks to allow crews to look for places where covered tanks could ultimately be buried in the basin.

The city intends to eventually replace the reservoir with buried tanks to comply with U.S. Environmental Protection Agency requirements. 

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Tests for a suitable spot to bury the tanks will be performed using a bulldozer and a drill mounted on an all-terrain vehicle, according to a DPW press release.  The sound of the machines working could be heard throughout weekdays, and will typically take place between 7:30 a.m. and 5 p.m.  Monday through Friday.

A small section of fencing on the northeast side of the reservoir’s embankment will be removed to allow crews access.

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The pumping station at the site will remain in service using a by-pass main to avoid any service disruptions, according to DPW.

Once the crews are finished, the reservoir will be refilled and put back into service.

However, the reservoir will be taken out of service once construction on the tanks begins in late 2013 or early 2014, according to DPW.

Kurt Kocher, a DPW spokesman, said although there is nothing wrong with the city drinking water, the changes are being made to make the supply safer.

At other city reservoirs, such as Druid Hill or Ashburton, the reservoirs are not being replaced with tanks. At those sites, the city intends to build additional filtration plants that will clean the water using UV rays, Kocher said.

He said that approach is being taken with those two reservoirs because of their larger sizes. Guilford is a much smaller reservoir.

He also said that once the reservoir is replaced with the underground tanks, the department will work with the neighborhood to make sure the area is more attractive.


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