Water line repairs ongoing this week

by Eric Mullens
WALSENBURG — Residents of Walsenburg may have experienced some loss in water pressure over the past weekend and that may well remain the case throughout the end of this week according to officials at city hall.
City administrator David Johnston told the Huerfano World Journal on Tuesday, repairs continue on the main line segments near Black Diamond subdivision off of west Hwy. 160. Johnston said half of the past weekend’s project was completed, including repairs to the cast iron line, however, the repair project concerning the AC line has continued into this week. “Every time we put a shovel in the dirt we find something that is not on any maps,” Johnston said.
Johnston said valve replacements continue to be an issue with the AC line, which carries water from the filtration plant to the water storage tank on the city’s north side. The line moves water from the treatment plant to the southern end of Walsenburg. Johnston said he did not anticipate residents would be without water at any time this week, although water pressure could be an issue as the AC line will have to be shut down as repairs are made.
Johnston met with water utility staff Tuesday morning and discussions centered on the plan to fully drain the approximate two-mile long segment of the AC line in order to complete the repair. Crews are dealing with a number of unknown issues once they get underground to the pipes Johnston said. He said in one area there was a T-connection running off of the AC line they were not aware of, and once exposed, the off shoot line ran some feet away from the main and then was just capped off by concrete.
With those unknown factors, Johnston could not say exactly when repairs would be completed, although he said city employees were working to try to have the system repairs finished by the end of this week.
“The project is the number one priority in the water department right now,” Johnston said.