The Winslow Chamber of Commerce held their monthly networking event Good Morning Winslow last week. This month it was hosted by chamber board member and plumber Blake Miller. Blake is the owner of Miller Waterworks, a plumbing company in Winslow he took the time to speak about the importance of making sure homes and businesses are being taken care of from a plumbing perspective.
“Water obeys natural laws.” Miller repeated during his presentation, showing that even plumbing might be a thing you take for granted whenever you flip the tap on a sink but being aware of the natural laws and how they work can keep your system working properly.
Miller spoke about backflow, what causes it and how you can prevent it. Miller told the audience, “Backflow is the undesired flow of water” and pipes from contaminated sources can flow incorrectly back into the tank of clean water contaminating it all. Miller likened backflow to his grandson’s water glass after a meal, saying that you can see the food particles in the glass when his grandson is having dinner. Backflows happen in a similar way where clean water goes into an area where it is used and mixed with contaminates and backflow is when that contaminated water finds its way back into the glass.
Miller pointed to the new library and said, “if you’ll notice right when you walk into your right is a pair of drinking fountains, those fountains share a wall with the women’s restroom,” which in theory could cause backflow issues but there is a device that prevents the incorrect flow to ensure that doesn’t happen. Any person can install these devices in their homes or businesses, but the City of Winslow does manage when the installation of such devices is mandatory. Miller said some of the businesses that are required to have devices include, laundry mats, salons, restaurants and many others.
Miller set up a demonstration for everyone at the meeting in which he showed how backflow can be caused, the major ways is through pressure, which can be caused by the thermal expansion of the pipes, or a back siphon. Miller also warned about keeping hoses submerged, saying that that creates the opportunity for back flow to occur as well.
Those in attendance asked questions about plumbing. Including the standards for reclaimed water and maybe being able to use reclaimed water to irrigate plants and other purposes. Miller said that there are standards even for reclaimed water but said that irrigating with reclaimed water is a great way to get the best use of our resources. Another resident asked about how dangerous it can be to have weeds growing in your pipes. Miller said that their pipes were technically polluted rather than contaminated because although you don’t want that in your water there
isn’t a significant health risk.
