City crews battle water line breaks

Quick action by city employees repaired a broken water line last Tuesday, December 4, but a loss of pressure during the repair resulted in a “Boil Water Notice” being issued temporarily for Clarendon residents.

A contractor rehabilitating a city water well site struck a six-inch line while digging a slush pit just before 5 p.m., and the City of Clarendon Public Works Department responded immediately by notifying employees that they were needed, arranging for the necessary equipment and parts and making the necessary “line locate” call to DIG-TESS (Texas Excavation Safety System), the organization which locates all underground utilities before excavations start.

 City officials said the pipe was so damaged that removal and replacement of a section of the line was necessary. Because the city’s water system has only a few isolation valves, fire hydrants in the area had to be opened to relieve the water pressure. When pressure was reduced, the excavation around the damaged pipe could be pumped out and the repair completed.

City Hall initially said repairs would take most of the night, but city workers fixed the line by about 7:30 p.m.

“I commend these City employees for the skill and courage they exhibited in completing this difficult repair in such a short time,” said City Administrator Lambert Little. “Public Works Director John Molder, this department’s most seasoned veteran, was out on leave. Nathan Jaramillo was the Supervisor-in-Charge, and I think it took a lot of guts to tackle this project. Training and experience paid off. He and the rest of the crew turned what could have been a real disaster into what I believe to be one of our finest hours.”

Little also noted that Greenbelt Water Authority assisted by lending manpower and equipment and said city employees from other departments volunteered and were on standby, ready to help if needed.

“Teamwork like this is inspirational,” Little said.

The Boil Water Notice was issued Tuesday night because of how low the pressure dropped across town. Little said the precautionary measure is mandated by the TCEQ (Texas Commission on Environmental Quality). While a loss of pressure does not necessarily mean the water has been contaminated, it does mean that pathogens may be able to enter the piped-water system and thus be carried to consumers.

As the water pressure was restored, city crews flushed fire hydrants across town to remove air and to circulate as much freshly-treated water as possible. By Wednesday at noon, city personnel had taken water samples from across town and sent them to a laboratory in Amarillo for testing.

“The City of Clarendon takes Boil Water Notices very seriously,” Little said. “We understand what an enormous inconvenience such notices cause, not just for citizens in their day-to-day activities but for local businesses as well. Restaurants and convenience stores rely on our water for their ice and drink machines and for restrooms that their customers need and expect. The schools and the College, the nursing home and clinic, the hotels—all rely on our water system. We will issue Boil Water Notices only to preserve customer health and safety.”

The Boil Water Notice was rescinded Thursday afternoon when test results came back showing no contamination.

City workers were called on again to work afterhours this weekend to when other leaks developed in the city’s aging water system – one in a residential area in the south central part of town and another on a cast iron line that runs under the railroad northwest of the City Barn. Crews worked much of Saturday on the first leak and then were back on the job Sunday to fix the line near the railroad.

“I’ll say over and over again how much the City appreciated the cooperation and understanding of our customers,” Little said. “And I’ll say again how proud I am of the Public Works Department.”