City of Kimball races to repair water line after a weekend of setbacks

City Of Kimball employees from four different departments were gathered at the intersection of 2nd Street and Chestnut Street early Monday morning. Workers from the electric, water, and streets department along with a community service officer from the police department were involved in digging a hole in the eastbound lane of 2nd Street after a valve under the street broke.

That valve was the second to break as crews attempted to shut off a water line that carries water to the fire hall. The first valve was near the original break about 100 feet away on the west side of the Chestnut Street.

The broken line was discovered Friday morning and was believed to be a pinhole leak in the one inch galvanized pipe that then blew a chunk out of the likely 70 year old pipe. That is when crews attempted to shut off the first valve. That valve broke and they were forced to dig a hole and attempt temporary repairs that slowed the flow of water to about half but failed to stop it. Fears that repairs would shut-off water to area businesses during the busiest part of their week delayed efforts to repair the line until Saturday. It was then that the second valve broke, forcing the Monday morning excavation of 2nd Street to shut off the water.

Mayor John Morrison says they are old lines that need to be replaced, and the city has known that. The city has in fact received studies that show that widespread replacement and expansion of city water lines are necessary for the future. There is no word on how this incident will effect plans for new water lines in the area.

There is not a time line for completion of this project as the water is still running. In the meantime, traffic on 2nd Street is reduced to one lane and water is running down Chestnut Street and into the sewer across from the gym.

This is a developing story. Stay with 104.3 KIMB and 1043kimb.com for continuing updates.