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Another Shipyard Milestone on Track for Carl Vinson: Potable Water

Navy NewsStand

Story Number: NNS080702-17
Release Date: 7/2/2008 8:48:00 PM

By Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Erin Oberholtzer, USS Carl Vinson Public Affairs

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. (NNS) -- USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70) Engineering Department commenced testing the ship's potable water systems this July in anticipation of the crew move aboard in August.

"The potable water systems are by far one of the most important elements of crew move aboard and are imperative for mission readiness," said Chief Warrant Officer 3 Michael Meyer, the supervising officer for the evolution. "In order for us to use any of our facilities such as the galley, laundry, or heads, we must have clean running water on board."

The fresh water comes from a deck connection on the pier and is pumped into several large storage tanks aboard the ship. The water is held in these tanks until it is disbursed throughout the aircraft carrier's spaces.

"By bringing these systems back online, we are basically bringing the lifeblood back to the ship," said Senior Chief Machinist's Mate (SW/AW) Jerry Wasson. "Without this system we could not bring our crew back on board."

The installation of the system has been slow, coming in phases. In the beginning of Carl Vinson's refueling complex overhaul (RCOH), the system was overhauled and then rebuilt in stages. The pipes were then air-tested to check for obvious leaks and are now in the process of being water-tested.

"The water is not suitable for use just yet," said Wasson. "We still need to fix all the leaks in order to chlorinate and flush the system, which is one of our last steps."

Carl Vinson is undergoing its scheduled RCOH at Northrop Grumman Newport News shipyard. The RCOH is an extensive yard period that all Nimitz-class aircraft carriers go through near the mid-point of their 50-year life cycle.

During RCOH Carl Vinson's nuclear fuel will be replenished and the ship's services and infrastructure will be upgraded to make her the most state-of-the-art aircraft carrier in the fleet and prepare for another 25 years or more of service.

For more news from USS Carl Vinson, visit www.navy.mil/local/cvn70/.