Quick Response Following Tropical Storm Prevents Service Disruption

When Tropical Storm Isaias swept through the Northeast, Aquarion Water, one of New England's largest public water suppliers, faced a dire challenge. A large tree fell onto an exposed 30-inch cast iron water outlet, the sole connection for the critical Farmill Reservoir. This damage caused water levels to drop rapidly and required an immediate solution to prevent service disruption to tens of thousands of customers.

Emergency response was rapid, involving a contractor and Smith-Blair. On-site assessment revealed the damage was so extensive that removing the damaged pipe section and installing a replacement was necessary. This time-critical application was complicated further by the non-standard outside diameter of the pipe, requiring custom-sized bolted couplings. Smith-Blair's engineered fabrications team produced the custom couplings within hours of the initial emergency call. The parts were air freighted to Connecticut in less than 24 hours, where they were quickly installed, averting a complete shutdown of the critical water source.

Find out how quick response and custom engineered fittings prevented a major water service disruption.