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Posted: January 25, 2008
Updated: January 26, 2008

500K Gallons Lost in Chapel Hill Water-Main Break

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Water Main Break Leaves Roads Icy

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Water Main Break Leaves Roads Icy

Chapel Hill, N.C. — A water-main break in Chapel Hill early Friday left part of Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard covered with ice, and closed part of the thoroughfare.

Traffic on the street was limited to one lane northbound and one southbound between Rosemary and Stephens streets. Drivers were asked to take alternate routes.

The break happened around 1 a.m., and water flowed for hours. An estimated 500,000 gallons were lost, Greg Feller, a spokesman for the Orange Water and Sewer Authority.

Repairs to the water main were completed, and water service was restored by 11 p.m. Friday, Feller said. Traffic returned to normal after crews cleared the area.

Police blocked off Martin Luther King Boulevard near North Street. Crews later reopened some lanes, but ice was a concern for part of the morning after the water froze on the road. Crews put down salt and sand to help drivers.

RELATED TOPICS: Martin Luther King, Jr.

Copyright 2011 by Capitol Broadcasting Company. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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9 Comments


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Latest Comments
Groundhogs.
Click to view my profile trunkmonkee1971
January 25, 2008 5:40 p.m.
The water was not lost - it will show up in Jordan Lake in a few days...then Cary can drink it.
bushretard
January 25, 2008 4:29 p.m.
TheWB, for a leak of that side you don't need sensors - the newly created fountain in the road gives it away. Having worked for a time with OWASA and seeing my share of leaks, the problem was probably locating the appropriate valves to shut off the water and getting the crews in - it just takes time. As for sensors - that's sci-fi technology that would never last in the ground more than a year or two and would be very expensive.

NCchick, yep some of the pipes have been in the ground 50-75 years. Some of the pipes are made of iron, which has a good life. Some are made of cement/asbestos - which becomes brittle over time. Maintenance is only done when a pattern of leaks and breaks occur.

Having worked water leaks, I don't envy the guys on that call. It's tough work in the cold.
SaveEnergyMan
January 25, 2008 3:31 p.m.
Too bad these pipes never seemed to burst when we had plenty of water. Too bad there are no pressure valves to shut the water off when pressure drops dramaticly. Might be something to look at so taxes can be raised again.
whatusay
January 25, 2008 3:23 p.m.
Had to drive through it this morning...a mess!
Click to view my profile tarheelalum
January 25, 2008 12:58 p.m.
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