Workers locate leak, restore water service in East Vail
Eagle River Water and Sanitation District/Courtesy image
A temporary fix has been completed on a leaky water main in East Vail, restoring service to the 14 single-family homes and four 6-unit buildings that went without running water for much of the week.
Crews were on scene at Glen Falls Lane for most of the work week after being informed of the leak on Monday. Those crews were finally able to locate the source and install a temporary fix on Friday. A crack in a 6-inch water main was to blame.
Eagle River Water and Sanitation District said water service was shut down in an effort to protect property damage from occurring in the area.
Courtesy image/Eagle River Water and Sanitation District
The district described the effort to locate the cracked pipe as “a deep and difficult excavation,” which required a bit of detective work in locating the source of the leak. Excavations like the one that occurred in East Vail this week require more than just digging — all of the underground utilities must be located before the excavation can begin.
Once the digging starts, crews must first dig all the way down to the line, then work their way laterally down the water pipe to find the leak.
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Staff and excavation equipment arrived on site on Glen Falls Lane on Tuesday, but were unable to safely dig until a mechanical company arrived to protect nearby infrastructure, the district reported.
The East Vail water main was 13 feet deep, and inclement weather in the area complicated the digging process. Numerous closures of Interstate 70 in East Vail occurred on Tuesday, delaying access to the area. Bottled water was delivered to residents and staff at the nearby Vail Racquet Club allowed their neighbors to use the club’s faucets and shower facilities during the outage.
After locating the leak on Friday, crews were able to restore water service later that day. The large hole in the ground remains in place while the Eagle River Water and Sanitation District develops a long-term restoration plan, “which will be completed on March 7 or 8,” the district reported on Friday. “Customers will be notified of the planned temporary outage.”
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