Water Main Break
July 10, 2007
Updated 1:35 pm

A small crew is working on fixing a small water main break on Dale Drive this afternoon. The break affects approximately 50 households on Dale Drive and Dale Court, but all surrounding areas should be unaffected. The crew shut off the water supply around 11:00 am and they expect to have it turned on again by 2:00 pm.

Barry Naylor, who reported the repair work being done to Carroll County Government this morning, says this is nothing serious to worry about. "It happens. It's just a small crack in the pipe," Naylor said this afternoon, "The pipe's not in bad shape, it's just a regular old flaw." He explained that the pipe was installed in the mid-70's, but a pipe that is 30 years old is considered "pretty new." There is no reason to believe more breaks will happen any time soon.

The repair crew started work on the pipe early this morning. "We work until everything is clean and ready to go," Naylor explained why the water was turned off at 11:00. "You only cut [the water supply] once you have the other pipe ready to go."

The replacement pipe is only a few feet long, since it was only a small crack. Luckily for them, their job should be complete within a few hours. "It's a hot day," said one worker, dabbing his face with a handkerchief. The workers on lunch break cooled off in their cars while the rest of the crew worked on getting the new pipe ready to go in. One of the crew men, who gave his name simply as Albert, waited in the muddy hole in the street between two open pipes, asking for iced tea. For the most part, the men were just focused on getting the job done. "We've got a water main break and we're fixing it."

The following is the notice that was distributed by Carroll County Government earlier today.

Notice to residents in the Eldersburg area:

July 10, 2007 – The Bureau of Utilities anticipates shutting down water service today on Dale Drive and Dale Court to repair a small water main break.

A repair crew is on site and we anticipate service will be interrupted for a minimum of four (4) hours. To ensure a safe working environment during the repairs it is necessary to interrupt service to approximately 50 customers.

Upon completion of the repair, lines will be flushed in the immediate area. Residents may experience cloudiness or dirt in the lines and are asked to run faucets in the home until water runs clear, and to refrain from washing clothing until Wednesday, July 11th.

Thank you for your cooperation during this emergency.

Story and photos by Caroline Martin

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