PORT ANGELES — City crews fully completed the repair of a 24-inch water this morning, but residents are asked to conserve water until 5 p.m. today to allow the reservoir to refill.
The 8-inch break in the transmission water line southwest of the city’s landfill was discovered at about 10:40 p.m. Sunday.
The main, which leads from the city water source at the Elwha River to the city’s reservoir system, was shut down, and city water was drawn from the reservoir.
The city of Port Angeles called a Stage 2 water emergency, which calls for voluntary conservation among customers.
The break was fixed, and the lines purged, by 8:15 a.m. today, said Teresa Pierce, city spokeswoman.
Water conservation will allow the reservoir time to refill, Pierce said.
The water shortage affects all city residents and those Clallam County Public Utility District customers located between the eastern city limit and the western edge of Morse Creek.
The iron main was in an 8-foot portion of pipe that was buried about 12 feet underground.
EARLIER REPORT:
By PAIGE DICKERSON, Peninsula Daily News
PORT ANGELES — Water customers across greater Port Angeles were still asked this morning to conserve water after a 24-inch water main broke late Sunday night.
Since then, all water used in the city as well as a stretch of unincorporated area between the eastern city limit and Morse Creek has been drawn from city reservoirs.
The leak that led to the Stage 2 water emergency — requiring voluntary conservation among customers — was discovered about 10:40 p.m. Sunday when an alarm went off, alerting city water workers.
A fist-size hole in the main filled up a drainage ditch and left a muddy hole in the ground, said Annette Owens, city water and wastewater collections supervisor.
“It sounded like thunder it was so loud, and water was bubbling out of a hole about this big,” she said stretching her arms into an “O” shape as far out as they would go.
The main which leads from the city water source at the Elwha River to the city’s reservoir system had to be shut down.
The city asked that citizens conserve water throughout the day on Monday.
“We noticed a huge difference,” Owens said.
“We have such a responsive community.”
The main was being repaired late Monday and was being pressurized overnight to ensure that it works.
Owens said the city would like citizens to continue to use water sparingly today so that reservoirs can be refilled.
The iron main was in an 8-foot portion of pipe which was buried about 12 feet underground.
The deepest 4 feet was a fine clay packed so tightly that crews had to use jackhammers to chip away at the muck to get to the pipe, Owens said.
“That stuff is like rock,” she said.
“It was so hard to get through it.
“I am so grateful that it is not too hot,” she said of Monday’s air temperatures.
“When it is hot, people tend to use a lot more water.”
The leak was next to the composting building at the city’s former landfill, 3501 W. 18th St.
The water shortage affected all city residents, plus those served by water agencies through the Clallam County Public Utility District from the eastern city limit near DelGuzzi Drive to the western edge of Morse Creek.
Although she and water department director Ernie Klimek III, said they didn’t know the exact cause, it was likely related to the storm that passed through the North Olympic Peninsula on Sunday, Klimek said.
“We had a minor power outage, and when that happens the water just goes down — it isn’t a slow thing,” he said.
“And then when it came back on, it just pounded back.
“And maybe there was a weak spot or maybe there was already a small leak and it just went for the path of least resistance.”
Once the portion of pipe was uncovered, the crew had to saw through the iron to remove faulty piece before putting in the new main.
“We’ve been able to rotate crews throughout the time,” Owens said.
“But we’ve had people here pretty much the whole time working on it.”
