Shelter Dog Gets a Job with the City

Dual dog kennel at the Water Plant.

Bulletin! Duck Dynasty was adopted late in July. The new dog at the Water Plant is Valerie.

His name is Duck Dynasty, aka D2, and Richmond Animal Care and Control rescued him from a life on the streets about two months ago. After a month in the city's animal shelter at 1600 Chamberlayne Avenue, Duck D, a neutered, male, three or four-year-old
hound mix who gets along well with other dogs, got an important assignment.

He would be the first dog to live in the new dual kennel at the city's Water Plant on the river, and his job would be to discourage the ducks and geese from loitering around the 37-acre plant, leaving a trail of guano in their wake. In exchange, he is learning about socializing with a variety of people and hanging out quietly in offices when he's not in his kennel. "He's out of the pen more often than not," says Ricky Hatfield, plant superintendent.

The program was funded by the Richmond Animal Welfare Foundation. After Duck D is adopted into his forever home, other dogs will have the opportunity to live at the Water Plant. Water Plant staff, who are at the plant seven days a week, 24 hours a day, take Duck D with them on their security patrols day and night, or bring him into the offices on hot or rainy days.

Is that a deer? A duck? A beaver?

DPU Director Bob Steidel, Water Plant Program Manager Arnold Eberly, Utility Plant Superintendent Ricky Hatfield, and Richmond Animal Care and Control Director Christie Peters welcome Duck Dynasty to the Water Plant as a "city employee."

Carbon monoxide vs. carbon dioxide

What’s the difference between carbon monoxide (CO) and carbon dioxide (CO2)? The names are very similar and they are both colorless and odorless gases, but there’s some critical differences.

Carbon monoxide is the result of an improperly ventilated fuel-burning appliance, such as an oil or gas furnace, gas hot water heater, gas oven, gas or kerosene space heater, fireplace or woodstove. In autos, CO is generated by a gasoline engine that does not use a catalytic converter. CO poisoning is the most common type of fatal poisoning.

Symptoms of CO poisoning include headaches, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, fatigue and soon unconsciousness or death. It is sometimes mistaken for food poisoning. You need to be especially alert to these symptoms in the event of power outages when people turn to generators that may be improperly ventilated or too close to a window. Cars left running in closed garages can also be deadly.

Carbon dioxide, on the other hand, occurs naturally in the atmosphere and is required for plant life. It is a natural byproduct of human and animal respiration. We breathe in oxygen and breath out carbon dioxide. CO2 is generated by gasoline engines that do have catalytic converters. CO2 poisoning is very rare and usually appears as “the bends” if you come up from a deep water dive too quickly.

It's Mosquito Season

Every year from April 15 to Oct. 31, the City of Richmond Department of Public Utilities (DPU) treats storm inlets for mosquito larvae to reduce the number of mosquitoes and prevent the possible spread of West Nile virus.

More than 4,000 storm inlets will be tested for mosquito larvae and treated.

The process starts in Highland Park and will cover Ginter Park, Battery Park, and Azalea/Westminster by May 15. From May 16-June 15, crews will be in Windsor Farms, the West End, Oregon Hill, Randolph, The Fan, Maymont, and City Stadium; from June 16-July 15, Fairfield, Mosby, Church Hill, Fulton, and Shockoe; July 16-August 15 Willow Lawn area; Aug. 16-Sept. 15 Northside; and Sept. 16-Oct. 31, Southside.

West Nile Virus is spread by the bite of an infected mosquito. An estimated 80 percent of people infected with the virus never show any symptoms, but the remaining 20 percent experience fever, headache, muscle aches, fatigue and joint pain. One in 150 victims will develop severe symptoms, including fever, headache, a stiff neck, disorientation or confusion, vision loss, seizures, paralysis, and occasionally death. There is no treatment available for West Nile Virus except supportive care. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention reported seven cases of West Nile Virus in Virginia last year and one death.

The best defense is to protect yourself from mosquito bites and eliminate their breeding areas.
This means turning over or removing any container in your yard where rainwater collects, such as pots, plant trays, buckets, tires, or toys. Eliminate standing water on flat roofs, boats, tarps, and lawn furniture.

Empty and refresh bird baths once a week and clean roof gutters and downspots where water might pool.

Clear obstructions in ditches and creeks so they can flow and drain. Fill in puddles with soil, sand or gravel. Mosquitoes can breed in as little as a teaspoon of standing water and can detect human breathe from 75 feet away. Only the females bite as they need a blood diet to breed.

Wear long, loose, and light colored clothing and use insect repellent products with at least 50 percent DEET for adults and 30 percent for children. Mosquitoes are most active at dawn and dusk.

Bug (yellow) lights do not kill mosquitoes, but mosquitoes are less attracted to yellow light. Fans blowing on you while you are in the yard or deck will keep mosquitoes away as they are weak fliers. Citronella candles offer no more protection than any other candle. Bug zapper lights also make little significant difference. Given the choice between a bug zapper light and a human, the mosquito will always head for the human.

And don’t scare away the bats as they can swallow 500 to 1,000 mosquitoes an hour while in flight.

DPU treats all the storm sewers and catch basins within the city with non-toxic sprays which are safe for humans and pets and have been approved for use in storm sewers by the Virginia Department of Health.

Is Your Gas Bill Suddenly Unusually High?

Does your gas bill seem unusually high compared to previous months?

It is probably not due to a gas leak. Gas leaks are noticeable by their strong, rotten egg odor. It is unlikely your bill over the course of a month would dramatically increase due to a gas leak because you would notice that almost immediately by the smell. Gas leaks are not like water leaks, which could be in a faulty toilet or dripping under your house or in a cabinet or basement and continue for days or weeks without being noticed.

Do you pay your gas bill in total every month? If you make partial payments and keep a balance due, and suddenly there is a cold weather snap like this past winter, a higher monthly bill, combined with previous balance dues can add up to a high bill. If you’re facing financial difficulty and need a special payment plan, call 646-7000. Next time your bill is completely paid, immediately sign up for the Equal Monthly Payment Plan at 646-7000 so your gas bill is spread out evenly over 12 months and you won’t experience these sudden spikes during unusually cold months.

What is your thermostat set on? Even in the coldest weather, you should keep it at 68 and turn it down to 59 at night or whenever you are away from home for more than a couple of hours. You should never use a gas oven for heat by leaving it on all day or night with the oven door open. That is dangerous. Anything coming in contact with the burners could start a fire, or a burner blowing out could emit deadly carbon monoxide. It is also costly because the oven runs continually and doesn’t turn off when the room has reached the desired temperature. Never use an oven to heat the house.

Learn to dress in layers. Thermal undershirts and leggings, with regular clothes over them, socks and slippers, stocking caps, sweaters and housecoats will keep you cozy for free. It's also better to sleep in a cool house. Breathing warmed air continually is irritating to the nasal passages and dries out your sinuses. Keep bowls of water near (but not on top of) the heating vents to evaporate moisture into the air.

Open the drapes on sunny days and take advantage of the sun's warmth whenever possible. 

Change your furnace filter. A dirty filter will keep your furnace from working at its most efficient.

Are your heating vents blocked by rugs or furniture? Is the fireplace damper open, letting in cold air? Close it.

Is your house weather tight? Do you have cold air coming in through the windows and outside doors? You might need weatherstripping, plastic sheeting, or more attic insulation. Even throwing a blanket over the curtain rod might help. Are the storm windows fully closed? Check the top of the windows. If you don’t normally lock your windows, the top might be open just enough to be letting in cold air.

Did the month of the high bill happen during a month when there were several holidays, snow days or vacation days and you and your family were home more often, with the thermostat set high, cooking more and drying more loads of laundry than usual? That's another reason you could be seeing a spike.

Cold Weather Policy for Service Disconnection

Gas service will not be disconnected when the daily temperature is equal to or less than 32 degrees from Dec. 1-March 31 if

• The below freezing forecasted temperature is for a 24-hour period
• It occurs on a Friday or any time during the following weekend
• The customer has a Life Support coded account which indicates elderly, senior care, dialysis or medical

If payment is not received, service will be disconnected on the next business day that the temperature is predicted to be above 32 degrees for the next 24 hours, or during the weekend.

Unless the service is for a daycare center, nursing home, church or bulk metered multi-dwelling where occupants reside, temperature will not prevent disconnection of these services. 

Confirmed theft of service situations will be disconnected regardless of weather conditions.

Thank You DPU for All That You Do!

Without the Department of Public Utilities...

Our streets would be dark and dangerous

Our drinking water would be dirty and unhealthy

Our houses would be cold, without natural gas heat or hot water

Our raw sewage would run through the streets and cause disease

Our river would be dirty and polluted!

Thank you DPU, for all that you do!

Lightning Strikes Can Cause Gas Leaks Through Corrugated Stainless Steel Tubing

If your home or business was built after 1990 or you had work done to your natural gas system, it's likely that corrugated stainless steel tubing (CSST) was installed.

If lightning strikes a structure containing CSST, there is a risk it can travel along the structure's natural gas piping system and cause a leak, or in some cases, even a fire.

CSST does not connect directly to appliances, but runs through a home or business, sometimes under floors, along sidewalls, or in the attic. It is a flexible, stainless steel pipe and often has a yellow, or sometimes black, casing.

CSST gas piping systems should be bonded to the electrical service grounding system at the point where the gas service enters the building. The bonding jumper should not be smaller than a 6 AWG copper wire or equivalent.

If you find CSST in your home or business, it is recommended that you contact a licensed electrician to make sure it is properly bonded and grounded. If you are unsure whether your building contains CSST, contact a building inspector for a professional inspection.