Aiken Coverups and New Scientific Advances in Water Main Breaks

The coverups get bigger although science moves forward in Aiken. Aiken had a power outage, I expected water main breaks based on my scientific research, and sure enough there were two near-simultaneous breaks. When I went to one of the water main-break sites, workers were very cooperative at first, but the situation changed. I was blocked from seeing water main damage, and I heard one worker say 'Do you want me to beat him up'.

Following the breaks, I sent a letter to the City Manager and the Mayor, titled 'A very brief summary of all of my talks and all of emails [to Aiken staff]. The body of that email simply stated, 'I am standing strong for what I believe to be right'.

Let me tell a story of how I worked to understand new science while I fought the government of my city to improve my city of Aiken.

My Research on Power Outage Water Hammers and Breaks

As part of 78 interrelated publications that include two engineering books, I proved that there are several different water hammer-pressure surge types that destroy water mains. One of the largest pressure surges occurs following power outages and subsequent pump startups. Without discussing the details of Figure 1 in this Op Ed, the largest and most damaging pressure surge in this simplified water main system bangs through this 100-psi operating pressure water main model, where the maximum predicted pressure surge is well above 500 psi (pounds per square inch).

New Findings in Aiken

Pressures due to pump restarts have been modeled and experimentally tested, and the dangers of pump startups to water mains were further proven by recent events. Per the Aiken Engineering Director, the Aiken water supply operating pressure is coincidentally 100 psi like Figure 1. Although Figure 1 does not represent Aiken, the large, calculated pressures indicate the potential for major over-pressurization during power outage processes.

On March 10, there was a two-to-three-minute power outage about 3:30 in the afternoon, as the building went dark in my doctor's office. I expected possible water main breaks due to this pump restart, and I looked for boil water notices and water main breaks on the Aiken city website. The following morning on March 11th, the city of Aiken reported two water-main breaks ("City of Aiken Engineering & Utilities Water Main Break Advisory Notice[s]", click here and click here).

This sequence of events provides confirmation of my earlier scientific conclusions concerning water hammer pressures during power losses. When power is lost, pumps stop, water exits the system, and vapor pockets form at high points in the water system. When the power restarts, the pump starts, and the vapor pockets slam shut to create excessive pressures. That is, this additional proof of power outage water hammers nails down the need to stop water hammers in Aiken and every other city in the world.

Both breaks were located downhill from localized high points in the piping. When pressure surges formed at the high points, shock waves from these high pressures slammed through the piping to crack pipes at weaknesses in nearby piping. In other words, there were two simultaneous water main breaks due to a short power outage - and subsequent pump startup - due to a return of power in two to three minutes.

A Brief Investigation of The Huntsman Water Main Break

[On] March 11th, I visited both water main break sites. One site was on Huntsman Drive, and I walked up to within a few feet of the excavation that workers were digging (Figure 2). When the first cracked pipe was removed, I was allowed to handle the pipe and photograph the cracks in the pipe (Figure 3). At that time, I informed one staff member that I was an engineer and that I was there to stop Aiken water main breaks.

Later, while I was standing about 10 feet from the hole, I was asked to move another 10 feet, or so, away from the hole, and a yellow Caution tape, or ribbon, was erected that kept me away from the excavation. I then sat in my car with the windows down, the engine turned off, and the radio turned off. Since there were eight or more workers present at different locations, I did not know who made the comment, but I clearly heard the comment 'Do you want me to beat him up'. I was very uncomfortable, but I refused to leave in fear. I was not allowed to handle the second pipe that was removed, but I was able to photograph it (Figure 4).

I later left for lunch and came back when I requested part of the broken pipe to further investigate these water-main failures. My request was refused. I sent emails to the Mayor of Aiken and asked her to make the cracked pipes available before the pipes were thrown in the trash. I explained that I wanted to use an electron microscope - at my cost - to scientifically investigate how some of the Aiken water mains are breaking. She did not respond, and I have not been allowed to inspect failed pipes as a concerned Aiken citizen. Apparently, the city of Aiken is even preventing my limited water main-failure investigation at my own costs and on my own time. The blockade of free information goes to further a coverup by the city of Aiken.

A Briefer Investigation of the Huntcliff Water Main Break

Later on March 11th, I visited the water main break site at Huntcliff Plaza and Huntcliff Trace while the excavation was being dug. I recognized some of the workers from the Huntsman site, where workers apparently dug one excavation at a time. Caution tape was not installed when I arrived.

A workman approached my car, and I was concerned for my safety. Based on the 'beat him up' threat, I was concerned that I would be punched in the face when I opened my car window. However, I was only asked to move my car before I could take photos. I was told that he was did not want my car to be hit, but my car was safely located in the grass off of the road. While I moved my car, Caution tape was installed that blocked my view into the excavation (Figure 5). Then, there was little to see, so I left the site. When I arrived home, I wrote down this threat into the first draft of this Op Ed.

Old Science in Aiken

Near the Huntcliff break, a valve handle was installed onto hook onto an underground valve in the pipe to shut down the leak (Figure 6). When such a quarter-turn valve is closed, a water hammer shock wave can break the pipes somewhere else. This water main breaking action was not a new discovery, since this type of water hammer has been known for more than a century.

A Coverup History

My fight with Aiken government to stop water main breaks has been fraught with six years of defeats ("Money is Gone in My Home Town of Aiken, and the Water Main Breaks Keep on Coming"). After meeting with the Mayor of Aiken on March 7, 2025 to discuss my concerns, I spoke at the City Council meeting to once again request a meeting to fairly consider my offer to work with them to stop Aiken water main breaks. My request was met with silence. To document this request, the following email was sent to the Mayor and all City Council members and was updated and summarized from my other publications.

'Stop Aiken Water Main Breaks - Second City Council Workshop Request, 3/10/2025

Will I be allowed to present the facts at a second City Council Workshop to defend my reputation against false claims by [the City Manager], counter false claims about our water system by [the City Manager], and challenge the mistake of continuing to break our water mains?

[The City Manager's] recommendations to keep on breaking Aiken water mains were based on false statements that he made to the Mayor and City Council members during my first City Council Workshop. I summed up the falsehoods in the following 3-minute speech to the City Council this evening (click here). We still can work together to stop Aiken water main breaks.

Aiken City Council Meeting, March 10, 2025, Minute marker, 12:39

'Good Evening.

I am Dr. Robert A. Leishear of Leishear Engineering, LLC on the south side of Aiken.

Harming our people, Aiken chooses to destroy our water mains, which supply our drinking water, water for businesses, water for hospitals, and water to stop fires.

In January, I met with Aiken officials in a city council Workshop to talk about how we can stop our water main breaks. Aiken staff stated that half of last year's water main breaks were caused by contractors while digging, where this rate of failures is estimated at more than 22 times the national average. The other [23-24] breaks were preeminently caused by water hammers, which are primarily caused by operations of pumps, fire hydrants and valves. Note that a concise history of water main breaks and resultant costs are unavailable, where Aiken staff refused to answer many emails.

As a world-class water hammer and water main break expert, I have repeatedly offered my services without cost to Aiken. Aiken declined my most recent offer to pursue government grants of more than $1.2 million, stating that water main breaks are being addressed - nonsense. As a matter of fact, a February city council meeting Agenda requested $625,000 to hire contractors, since 'failure outpaces the ability to repair and replace those failures'. That is, water mains are breaking so fast that Aiken workers cannot keep up with fixing this incessant breaking of water mains in Aiken.

For over six years, Aiken staff have been waiting to see if they will fix our water main breaks. Aiken has failed miserably to stop our water main breaks - just read the papers. Aiken has spent untold millions of dollars on our water system. Unless actions are taken, our water mains will keep on breaking, will continue to threaten our health, and the number of breaks will increase as Aiken destroys our water system. Aiken officials sweep away my offers to Aiken through a cover up, or concealment of facts, where preventable water-main breaks will continue, based on false statements and errant practices of Aiken staff.

In our Workshop, deceptive and misleading information was provided by city staff to the Mayor and Council that thwarts my legitimate efforts to stop breaking water mains. False technical information was provided. Additionally, false statements were made against my character by falsely stating that I claimed in meetings that I could stop all Aiken water main breaks and that my false statements were those of a salesman. I never said any such thing in meetings with Aiken staff. [Clarification: I have never provided any written statement that I would 'stop all of them']. I believe that this false claim smeared my character and my company. My request was refused to provide a second city council Workshop presentation to correct these falsehoods and defend my reputation. A second Workshop is still warranted for government transparency, and I request that opportunity.

In short, my offer as a free consultant to Aiken - with unparalleled qualifications to stop water-main breaks - was turned down. Nobody has explained why free money and services to improve Aiken have been thrown away. What is going on in the backrooms of Aiken government?

[The Mayor of Aiken] graciously agreed to talk about these concerns in March, and we may, or may not, work to stop water main breaks someday but not in the foreseeable future. Together, we can stop our water main breaks.

Thank you for your time'.

No responses were received to this request at the Council meeting.

The Definition and Actions of a Coverup

Per Merriam Webster, a coverup is defined as ''a device or stratagem for masking or concealing'. In our first, and maybe only, Workshop ("Aiken Water Main Breaks Can Be Stopped", click here), false comments included.

1) My character was attacked. The first sentence of my website (.leishearengineeringllc.com/) states that 'There are a cost for doing the right thing, but regret is not one of those costs. Ethics and honesty are extremely important to me, and I even wrote a journal article on my fight to be honest and ethical in the business world ("The Price of Engineering Ethics, A Personal Story", click here). I vehemently resent the claim that I made false claims as 'sales talk' to city staff. An audio of this Workshop is available (Request Number: 55-2025, requested by Donald Moniak of Eureka Research).

2) A statement was made by Aiken staff that tree roots are breaking the mains, where water hammer is certainly the dominant cause of failures. The proof of this statement is provided in a draft of a second Workshop presentation ("Aiken Water Main Breaks Can Be Stopped - Part II", click here).

3) A statement was made by Aiken staff that we do not know the cause of water main breaks. This Op Ed and many peer-reviewed publications prove otherwise.

4) A statement was made [by the City Manager] that pipes fail because they are old, and I was even asked to confirm this opinion after I clearly stated that pipes do not fail because they are old. Note that if this opinion was true, many skyscrapers in the world would be in jeopardy.

5) Aiken was stated to be 'addressing' water main breaks, which is certainly false.

Ongoing refusals to permit a second City Council Workshop endorses all of these false statements. I do not know the intent for these false claims - and I make no such claims to know intent - but the end results are that facts have been concealed, which constitutes a coverup by the definition provided here.

Damages to Aiken People

In addition to extensive repair and replacement costs due to water-main breaks, there are health risks. My publications prove that E.coli, Listeria and Legionella illnesses and deaths can result from cracks in water mains due to water hammers, where infections can enter mains through these cracks. Myriad existing cracks are known to be present in water mains, as evidenced by known water losses from water supplies. When I privately met with the Mayor of Aiken on March 7, 2025, I told her that my driving interest in saving Aiken water mains is for Aiken to serve as a model city to stop water mains in every U.S city and other cities around the world, since we all share the water main-break disaster.

Oddly enough, I gave my "Stop Aiken Water Main Breaks" City Council speech on the same night of the two water-main breaks that are discussed in this Op Ed. Sad that proven technology meets with such harsh resistance at the expense of people.

A Fight with Aiken

This Op Ed and referenced documents clearly prove that there is a water main-break problem that needs to be fixed and that I have the skills to do so. This fight with Aiken has gone on for more than six years.

Following a recent series of emails, the City Manager responded with his first written response in over six years, and he raised concerns that I did not here in earlier meetings and did not sound like anything that we discussed in those meetings - looks like fiction to me. My written presentation did not claim to be able to stop all water main breaks, and staff statements that hey were going to wait and see if their spent millions of dollars would affect water main breaks. Their new information only served to smear my character in front of the public and politicians.

I provided a rebuttal to him, and cc'd the Aiken Mayor and the Aiken Engineering Director. Both of these letters follow.

City Manager Response

'I am replying to... multiple emails you have sent to Council members and [the Mayor] that have been forwarded to me.

You have made multiple pitches to staff, former elected officials, current elected officials and me. I vividly remember our meeting when you said your hiring... would result in no more water main breaks. Such absolutist rhetoric made years ago by you about a system that has been continuously constructed for over a century continues to resound in a most negative way to me. In addition, your grandstanding comments cast unwarranted suspicion on our water system. There is no coverup... I simply fail to see how your approach and manner can lead to desired outcomes for the City.

Therefore, my unequivocal recommendation to City Council is we neither want nor need your assistance at this time and no further formal presentation from you is warranted'.

R. A. Leishear Rebuttal to the City Manager

'You and I have strong disagreements, but we could still work together to stop Aiken water-main breaks. I sincerely believe that your recommendation to the city is a mistake that hurts our city.

You have again made more false statements. When opponents of scientific principles do not have any technical basis to refute those principles, they sometimes resort to personal attacks. I believe that may be the case with your response to my concerns about Aiken water main breaks and my request to stop breaks. There is very little correct information in your response. Why do you persist in falsely attacking my character?

I stated to you, the City Council, and the Mayor that I never made comments [in writing] that there would be 'no more water main breaks', and you persist with false, derogatory comments like "absolutist rhetoric". I never stated that I could stop all water main breaks [Clarification: in writing], and I have the original, time-dated presentations to prove this opinion. These two presentations were downloaded by Aiken staff and stated that 'nearly all' or 'most' water-main breaks can be stopped. I still believe these statements to be true - except for contractor damages - since this fact has been proven to be true for Savannah River Site piping systems and other facility systems.

Your claim that I did not agree with my own presentations does not make sense. Why would I provide a presentation and then conclude something different than what I presented, where I do not now, nor have I ever, believed that all water main breaks can be stopped. Giving you the benefit of the doubt, maybe you heard me say that Aiken water main breaks can be stopped, and you misinterpreted that I said 'all' Aiken water main breaks can be stopped. As the issue stands, I vehemently disagree with your comments that I made such false statements to you as a salesman. I believe that you owe me an apology.

If your only claim to refuse my offer is my rhetoric, then you have no apparent justification to prevent me from working with your staff to stop the breaks. You have provided no other explanation for your refusal to stop the breaks. All that you have provided are unfounded attacks against my character'

I asked to defend my character against false accusations and correct other false technical statements in a second City Council Workshop. Your misrepresentation of facts is the 'negative' part of our communications. What you call grandstanding is what I call facts, where these facts are based on decades of voluntary research. I live here, I have worked on piping failures for decades, I earned three graduate degrees to study piping failures, and I care about stopping water-main breaks.

Why do you object to outside help to fix Aiken problems, where you have not been able to stop these problems? Using my approach simply replaces ongoing failure with success.

Also, note the following:

[1] You declined [a] 2018 offer and stated that you will wait and see how system changes affected water main-break prevention. I believe that you have failed - our water mains are still breaking.

2] When we met in 2023, I offered to pursue a grant to pay for Aiken water main-break prevention, and I offered to tentatively give $200,000 of those potential funds to Aiken to cover any required support costs. You then refused to respond to my offer and refused to answer any emails. Wages would be dictated by government grant requirements.

[3] In 2025, I again offered to pursue a grant, and I reduced that tentative offer to $100,000 for Aiken support.

[4] For years, I have written a series of Letters to the Editor of the Aiken Standard to oppose practices that I believe to be faulty and to oppose those practices that I believe to damage our water system.

[5] To clarify my contention that there is a coverup in Aiken concerning water main breaks, I have written a draft of an Op Ed to fight against your opinions and the decision to accept water main breaks in our city...'

My 'manner' is to present facts to stop Aiken water main breaks, which you "fail to see". If I had been approved to present a second City Council Workshop presentation, I would have asked the Mayor and City Council to override your recommendations. My offer may have still been turned down, but at least the facts would be considered.'

In my opinion, the City Manager sabotages my efforts to stop Aiken water main breaks. This Op Ed is aimed toward the Mayor and City Council to sway their opinions to stop water main breaks, and this Op Ed also documents the hurdles to be faced when standing up to government officials for the public good. Aiken keeps on raking in the money from problems that can be fixed, where recently reported efforts by Aiken to reduce fire hydrant hammers seem to have reduced breaks by only about 5 percent since August, 2022 (Figure 7). As I say over and over, water main breaks can be stopped.

What's Next

Aiken water mains will be destroyed and health will suffer. I cannot make other people do the right thing. For me, I am writing two books, scheduled to be published in 2025. One book is highly technical to present state of the art for water hammer research, and is being written for the American Society of Mechanical Engineers ("The Fluid Transient Disaster, Water Hammers and Gas Hammers"). The other book is more political and concerns many industrial coverups that threaten our lives, environment and finances ("Industrial Murder for Profit in the Oil, Gas, Water, and Nuclear Industries, click here ). Aiken can be a good case study for this book.

The Mayor of Aiken did not respond to a request for comments on a draft of this Op Ed.

Disclaimer

I do not know if I may have made a verbal mistake at some time in my conversations with the City Manager to inadvertently say 'all water main breaks' instead of 'nearly all nearly all water main breaks'. However, my presentations were very carefully written to ensure that I was not misquoted or misunderstood, and the City Manager misquoted my written presentation.