C.

Huvard, LLC
September 9, 2013

To:

Editor, Brookhaven Post

In light of the recent water main break on Clairmont Road at Barone Ave, I have been looking at the topography maps, and they confirm what I already suspected. As can be seen on the scalable topographical map attached, the Sam's Club property is at a higher elevation (+ 950) than the surrounding area. The terrain drops toward Century Center down to McJenkin (+ 869) and the end of Clairmont Way (approx. +845). There is a stream bed and what appears to be a borrow pit turned into a pond adjacent to the Sam's Club parking area, in the direction of Century Center. An enormous AGL horizontal boring and pipe pulling station was located in the Sam's Club parking lot next to the pond. Due south, and just across from the pond, is the intersection of Clairmont Rd. and Barone Ave., where the water main rupture occurred. It does not take much deliberation to understand that gravity pulls downhill, and when an area is under intense vibration for long periods, there will most likely be soil movement. This can be exacerbated by excess rainfall / soil moisture. The soil movement can cause subterranean voids to develop, and these voids can open below structures that require substantial continuous support, such as water lines under pressure. We witnessed this effect first hand at our condominium complex. When AGL suddenly appeared and began felling 3 1/2 acres of old growth hardwood, the impacts of the falling trees caused vibrations that created problems for adjacent property owners. We immediately requested seismic monitors for the adjacent properties. AGL came out and performed current condition surveys in the condo units, and installed two seismic monitors, one on each leg of the adjoining property. We experienced heavy vibrations throughout the AGL clearing, grading, welding, heavy equipment movement, boring for and pulling of pipe, pipe placement, and other operations. The constant vibrations caused downward shifting and settling of our property, which slopes toward the AGL site. As a result, we experienced multiple water main line breaks and branch line damage. While we are aware that some of our pipes are old and will need eventual replacement, the AGL construction impacts greatly accelerated pipe damage from shifting soil, and precluded our ability to plan for and achieve replacement according to our own schedule, within our planned budget, and without relying upon emergency plumbing services.
3260 Clairmont North NE Atlanta, Georgia 30329

cheryl@huvard.com

Cell: 770-823-2434 Land Line: 404-638-6058

C. Huvard, LLC

At the beginning of AGL's construction activities, I personally requested, from the AGL project manager, that AGL install and maintain slope stabilization (riprap, for example) along our perimeter to prevent as much movement as possible, and I was assured that the area would be protected and monitored by AGL engineers. No such actions were taken. We knew that, without the trees and vegetation to stabilize the low area and to absorb water, there would be problems from storm runoff and the natural watershed toward Peachtree Creek. Property owners have experienced settlement and visible evidence of damage due to the vibrations we experienced. We requested but were not able to obtain copies of either the condo condition reports made by the investigating company or the seismic records made by the sensors. We were told that both records are the property of AGL. Our research into AGL's activities has shown that it rarely, if ever, acknowledges liability or responsibility for "collateral damage", and then only when it loses a related lawsuit. One has to have deep pockets to sue AGL. This brings us back to the DeKalb County water main break. In the context of the extremely disruptive vibrational activity that took place at the AGL Sams Club construction site for months, one could reasonably conclude that the same destructive forces were operating to cause earth movement and soil displacement in the Sams Club area. While AGL typically states that it is unlikely that its equipment has any effect on adjacent areas, it is just plain science that continuous low frequency vibrations, such as those emitted by AGL's boring and pipe pulling equipment, have a greater potential for disruption than higher frequency intermittent output. (1) It is not hard to imagine a void opening under the DeKalb water main, resulting in lack of proper support and eventual dislocation and rupture. (2) As a result of the water main rupture, DeKalb was precluded from advance planning for the pipe replacement and was forced to work emergency crews day and night in order to make the repair. Had there not been this incident, DeKalb potentially could have performed the work at much less cost, with less disruption to services and vehicular traffic. Once again, the taxpayers and property owners must absorb the costs from the collateral damage due to AGL's activities (3) while AGL and its shareholders continue to dodge culpability and costs. It would be interesting to know how many other communities in the path of the pipeline replacement and other pipeline construction work have suffered damage to property and local utilities during AGLs operations and after its contractors came through. Regards, Cheryl Huvard

3260 Clairmont North NE Atlanta, Georgia 30329

cheryl@huvard.com

Cell: 770-823-2434 Land Line: 404-638-6058

C. Huvard, LLC

1. "Vibration energy spreads out as it travels through the ground, causing the vibration level to diminish with distance away from the source. High frequency vibrations reduce much more rapidly than low frequencies, so that low frequencies tend to dominate the spectrum at large distances from the source. Discontinuities in the soil strata can also cause diffractions or channeling effects that affect the propagation of vibration over long distances." from A Primer on Vibration by Michael Minor & Associates, Portland, OR, a consulting firm specializing in the fields of noise, vibration, and air quality.

2. Earth movements caused by simple settlement of surrounding soils or radical seismic events can directly break a pipeline or severely weaken its structural supportInternal pressures arent the only forces acting on a pipes structural integrity; earth movement and overburden add loads that can cause pipes to break. Earth movement comes in three varieties: differential settlement, frost heave, and shocks delivered by seismic or construction activities. When such earth movements result in permanent ground deformation of the soil beneath the pipe, serious structural damage to the pipeline can result. from Maintaining Water Pipe Integrity 101, Daniel P. Duffy, P. E. http://www.waterefficiency.net/WE/Articles/621.aspx?format=2

3. "I had to replace my water lines to the street during the time the work was being done. Yesterday, I chatted with the owner of the first house on Tanglewood Circle (first house on right), who said equipment had ruined his pipes, his house had flooded, mold was rampant, and the house really needs to be torn down. Someone told me other people in the neighborhood also had problems with pipes during this time. I wish you would send out an email to see how many people had this problem. Wonder what recourse we would have." From a Tanglewood Ave. resident in an email to Clairmont Community Alliance

3260 Clairmont North NE Atlanta, Georgia 30329

cheryl@huvard.com

Cell: 770-823-2434 Land Line: 404-638-6058