Document jm1K4RM28gNQQ5Y6D04Daw4Lp

A/C Pipe Producers Association Internal Correspondence Board of Directors T0 International Affairs Committee p ,3- SaA J. F. Welch, Vice President DATE. March 14,1984 SUBJECT \ News Article on U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Proposed Ban on A/C Pipe ACTION REQUIRED: Review for information The enclosed article, written by Dr. Brian T. Com mins, appeared in the February 4, 1984 issue of World Water magazine. JFW/ajb Enclosure cc: A. Kahn, Esq. Timothy S. Hardy, Esq. copies to: Board of Directors International Affairs Committee L. Ambler J. Bogart L. Cejudo J. M. Couture L. Taylor R. Dorner A. Junes G. Zaviezo M. Elola L. Dolbeau P. Hart R. Hobbs H. Hudson M. Delcourt B. Giboin R. Jalan B. Dubois E. van der Rest E. Costa J. Schmaus R. Cairns F. Mansour J. Glanville A. Saoulis V. Patta'ohi C. Barton S. Al-Tarkait C. Saeng-Xuto 0172031404 Chrono CAPCO JEN 0004586 LETTERS Stormy baptism for Itaipu spillway From: G S Sarkaria, Senior Vice Presi dent, International Engineering Com pany, Inc, 180 Howard Street, San Francisco, California 94105, USA. Sir -- The summary of Consultant Flivio Miguez de Mello's msentation in the October issue of World Water is an ex cellent description of comprehensive development of the hydro resources of Rio Parana, in Brazil. '-Since a photo of the Itaipii spillway ;_was included in that article, I thought your readers would be interested in the performance of that project since the reservoir was filled-in October 1982. Itaipu spillway gates'were opened orr\ji>' November 1982. It has been in contin uous operation since that date with the exception of closure of the chutes, one at a time, for periods of less than 24 hours. The first year of operation has been quite a baptism for the Itaipu spillway. During this period, the inflow into the reservoir and the outflow twice ex ceeded the previous daily peaks recor ded during the 1921 -82 period for which the stream-flow date are available. The average historic discharge of the Parand is 9,000m3/s. During the period 20 October 1982 -- 30 October 1983, the mean daily flow exceeded 10,000mVs 100% of the time, 20,000mVs for 64% and 30,000mVs for 11 % or 42 days. The spillway discharge peaked at 34,000m3/s on 25 February and at Damming evidence From: Dr BL Sreenivas, Consulting Geologist, Geomysore Services, No 12 Palace Road, Bangalore -- 560 052, India. Sir -- You carried in November 1983, very interesting and important news regarding the induced tremors from the reservoir of Bhatsai Dam and recollec tions of Koyna earthquake. Impounding waters in any reservoir is bound to create hydrostatic stress and it depends upon the tectonic and structural setting of the terrain on which the im pounding is done. We have been working with LANDSAT imageries, on the rela tion of major lineaments to important irrigation and power projects in Kar nataka State. What might be happening around Bhatsai dam and Koyna dam in Maharashtra, could be related to the adjustments of major lineaments to infil tration of impounding waters. Impound ing reactivating lineaments could be in ducing the tremors. It is a challenge to geologists and geo physicists for R&D efforts! ' 38,000mVs on 18 June 1983. Maxi mum capacity of the spillway, designed to pass a probable maximum flood, is 62,200mVs. The spillway was inspected in Febru ary and September 1983. No significant erosion or cavitation damage was obser ved. In the published photo Itaipu is spil ling about 30,000m3/s, which is the equivalent of 20.000MW of power. Inci dentally the picture is turned around,.the flow is from left to right :. O Misguided ban From: BT Commins'BSc MSc PhD"' CChem FRSC, Commins Associates, Environmental and Pollution Consul tant, "Pippins" Altwood Close, Maidenhead, Berkshire. England SL6 4PP. Sir -- The article EPA threatens totalban on AC pipe in-your November issue prompts me to write. From experience on the subject of asbestos cement pipes. 1 would regard myself as qualified to pro test strongly against the threatened ban ning of the manufacture and use of A/C pipes. . We in Europe look to the US Environ mental Protection Agency for guidance on many environmental matters and in many cases in the past such views have been wall respected and indeed wel comed. On the issue of asbestos cement pipes, the possible banning is in no way sensible or appropriate and indeed com pletely lacks any proper rational scien tific foundation. Occupational asbestos in the past has undoubtedly given rise to serious health implications. Nowadays, exposures are dramatically lower and fortunately are at acceptable levels in relation to any pos sible health risks. Thus A/C pipes can be manufactured without any unacceptable risks; also the current codes of practice for pipelaying etc are very strict, leading to low dust exposure. In relation to the use of asbestos cement pipes for conveying potable water, I carried out a comprehensive re view of all the available evidence and concluded in a detailed technical report published in May 1983 that the health risk would seem to be "sensibly zero or at most exceedingly low". If EPA goes further ahead with con sideration for the banning of A/C pipes, then I feel it runs the riskof becoming the laughing stock of the rest of the world and will lose general credibility. None of us would wish to see such ridicule of a highly respected body. ' 3 CAPCO JEN 0004587