Maine: Aging water mains leaking in Dexter: Officials puzzled

Source: Bangor Daily News Bangor, ME Publication date: Feb 12, 2000

&DEXTER -- The Dexter Utility District has been plagued over the past few days with leaks in its aging water mains.

The approximately 10 leaks, which contributed to a major drawdown of water in the reservoir that serves the town, nearly called for special precautions to be taken by consumers, Town Manager Robert Simpson told council members Thursday.

That never happened, however, because some of the leaks were found and repaired, according to a utility official. Had the water lowered to a critical level, the public would have been alerted, Sheila Truman, office manager for the utility district, said Friday. State water quality officials were appraised of the situation, she said.

Because of the leaks, portions of Zion's Hill and Free Street have been and will continue to be without water until possibly Saturday evening, when it was expected water main repairs would be completed. Other areas may experience some low water pressure, Truman said.

What caused the major leaks is baffling to officials, some of whom wonder if the two recent earthquakes recorded south of the town in recent weeks shifted the earth and disrupted the mains. Or, it could be attributed to the age of the mains, which are 100 years old in some places, Truman said.

Truman said district officials have identified the cause of some minor leaks. These leaks, she said, were caused by pipes that froze and broke inside three or four vacant homes. Workers also found that some residents left water running in order to prevent pipes from freezing, which contributed to the drawdown and created a greater flow into the sewage treatment plant, she said.

Publication date: Feb 12, 2000 ) 2000, NewsReal, Inc.

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-- Carl Jenkins (Somewherepress@aol.com), February 15, 2000

Answers

Thanks for the post Carl "Water Main" Jenkins

-- Guy Daley (guydaley@bwn.net), February 15, 2000.

Old water mains leaking ! Must be a y2k thing

-- Paul the pipe guy (pvc-pipe@drain.net), February 15, 2000.