Water well failure still unclear

The City of Yoakum’s water infrastructure system continues to rely on three of four pumps while city crews and contractors search for the source of failure in Well No. 4.

City Manager Kevin Coleman explained during the Aug. 9 Yoakum City Council meeting that contractors had eliminated some possible causes of failure for the well that went offline in mid-June.

“The well is still out of service. Our contractor has cleaned it with a relevant agent that reduces corrosion without destroying the interior, scraped it clean, and sent a video back down. That video was inconclusive,” said Coleman.

The city manager said the engineer working on the project suggested sending a camera back down the well while a pump operates at the top, creating negative pressure. This step would aim to generate movement in the well for the camera to capture a clearer image of the debris at the bottom of the well.

The limited water infrastructure system is capable of meeting demand despite reduced production and soaring summer temperatures, reported Coleman.