City of Gillespie employees work to repair the two breaks in the water main on Thursday morning.
Two breaks in a 14-inch water main in Gillespie reported in the early morning hours on Thursday disrupted water service for city residents and satellite communities feeding from Gillespie’s service. Water service was restored around 15 hours later around 4 p.m.
The break was reported early Thursday morning, according to Gillespie Mayor John Hicks, who could not provide a precise time. The break happened in the water main that runs between Frey Street and North Macoupin Street approximately 500 feet away from the Gillespie Water Plant. The city was forced to shut off the water supply to make repairs. Hicks expected service to be restored by 12 noon but the line broke again when service was temporarily restored around 11 a.m.
The impact was in two places along the main line and the Gillespie Water Department and Street Department were capable of making the repairs allowing service to be restored quicker. The breaks were approximately 50 yards apart.
“The break was in two spots,” Hicks told TheBenGilPost.com Thursday morning. “We were able to have the area marked by 4 a.m. and started digging as soon as we got the go ahead.”
Mayor Hicks reported that city crews already had one break fixed before 8 a.m. and were working on the second break, which “was not as bad as the first one”. He said he attempted to notify leadership in satellite communities to warn them of the break and the forced service turn-off. He also notified Superintendent of Gillespie CUSD #7 Schools Joe Tieman and local media.
Supt. Tieman sent out an automated phone call shortly after 5 a.m. cancelling school for the day at Gillespie CUSD 7. Tieman told TheBenGilPost.com he would make a determination early in the afternoon on Thursday whether the girls’ basketball game versus Staunton could be held or not. The game is scheduled to be played at Gillespie High School starting with the junior varsity game at 6 p.m. followed with the varsity game. The games were both cancelled around 2 p.m. on Thursday with a rescheduled date of Tuesday, December 19.
The basketball team is planning to decorate the gymnasium to welcome nearby rival Staunton after the team lost a student and two former students in a horrific car accident last week. The team sold “Standing with Staunton” t-shirts to show support for Staunton’s basketball players, students and community.
“We have a big girls game tonight,” Tieman said to TheBenGilPost.com. “We have portable water units that we can use, but it really depends on the city crews and what Mayor Hicks tells me. We will monitor the situation through the night and assess whether we can have school on Friday. Rob Graham and the maintenance crew stocked the district up on bottled water.”
Mayor Hicks advised Gillespie residents and satellite customers would be under a boil order for the foreseeable future.
“The boil order could last 7 to 10 days, but listen to the local media for announcements,” Hicks concluded. “Water pressure will be slow when it restores as the lines refill, so be patient and full pressure will come before long.”
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