Awhile back I had posted some photographs of the construction work at Loch Raven. The contractor hit and poked a hole through the ten foot conduit that supplies water to Baltimore from the Loch Raven Reservoir. Fortunately, another one of the conduits was in service, so the damage did not affect our drinking water supply. This conduit was installed in 1915. It is riveted, welded steel. Some portions are encased in concrete and a good portion is lined with cement.

I would like to thank Pure Technologies for giving me permission to use their photographs.

Pure crew heading into the conduit. This is near Mine Bank Run, heading towards the dam. The water would eventually be at chest level.

This was interesting and took a little research to figure it out. The smaller opening on the right connected to the 1880 rock and brick tunnel. In 1937 they built a parallel pipe line from Loch Raven to Baltimore and that is the conduit on the left. There is a valve in the smaller pipe stopping the flow of water towards Baltimore. Down stream further, the raw water pipeline becomes potable water from Baltimore, to Towson, at Cromwell.

Continuing the inspection of the conduit. Pretty good shape for being over 100 years old.

The fish like the water (Baltimore water finished in the top ten again this year in a national taste test)

Not sure what this is. Looking at the drawings I saw where there is a drainage system under the steel conduit. But didn’t see this in the drawings.

Pure finally reached their destination. The damage is a little more than we thought. The cement lining has been knocked off.

It is about a 3’x4′ section of damage.

This is the hole that the excavator punched through. There are also about 5-6 dents in the pipe.

When the inspection crew climbed out, I think they brought something with them…