City pipes crack downtown, drought to blame

  • City crews address water main crack and street flooding Friday June 25. Contributed Photo.
    City crews address water main crack and street flooding Friday June 25. Contributed Photo.
  • Water flooded the intersection of W. May Street and Front Street last Friday afternoon after a water main creaked. Contributed Photo.
    Water flooded the intersection of W. May Street and Front Street last Friday afternoon after a water main creaked. Contributed Photo.

    YOAKUM - Recent drought conditions resulted in a cracked water main east of downtown that flooded the intersection of W. May Street and Front Street last Friday afternoon.

     

    Yoakum City Manager Kevin Coleman explained via email that the incident was the result of the dry weather forcing the water infrastructure system to shift alongside dry soil. 

     

    “The blowout leak was a crack in the eight-inch water main created by the ground shifting as it the surrounding soil dried and contracted,” wrote Coleman June 27. “Our water crew has worked dozens of smaller leaks in the last three weeks caused by the same conditions.  It is a systemic issue in the system to be expected when we move from a relatively high rainfall period and then swing to the dry conditions we are now seeing.”

     

    Although Coleman expects the issue will be resolved with extended periods of rain, he predicted further similar issues until ground moisture increases.

     

    “Because of the number of leaks they faced over the weekend, city crews had to leave one lane closed until the surround(ing) pavement can be stabilized and patched,” wrote Coleman of Friday’s leak. “Both lanes of traffic should be open later this week.”