HomeMy Public PortalAboutTOL PR 2010-07-26 Water Main Break
Town of Leesburg
News Release
For Immediate Release
Contact:
Aref Etemadi
Deputy Director of Utilities
aetemadi@leesburgva.gov
703-771-2754
Leesburg Utilities Department Responds to Major Water Main
Break with Little Service Interruption to Residents
Leesburg, VA (July 26, 2010) – The
Town of Leesburg experienced a
major water main break on
Wednesday, July 14, 2010, but Town
staff responded so swiftly that almost
no one, other than the residents
directly affected, were aware of the
problem.
At about 8:15 a.m., staff at the Town’s
Water Treatment Plant notified Utility
Department administrators that the
pump in the Western Pressure Zone
was experiencing difficulty keeping up
with demand. As a first response
measure, staff brought a second pump on line. Shortly thereafter, staff were dispatched to
drive through various part of Town in hopes of locating the break. By approximately 9:30 a.m.
the Town began receiving calls from residents in the Woodley Manor neighborhood about low
water pressure. The break location was pinpointed when a resident on Valley View Avenue
called to report that water was pouring across the street.
The break occurred in an 8-inch water main on Valley View Avenue, between Dry Mill Road and
Belmont Place. The repair work took approximately 6 hours and entailed isolating valves on
either side of the break, digging a trench along the water line and replacing an approximately
10-foot-long section of pipe. Staff estimates that the effected pipe was 35 to 40 years old.
TOL PR 2010-07-26 Water Main Break
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“We prepare and train continuously for these types of events,” said Aref Etemadi, Deputy
Director of Utilities. “Our staff has contingency plans in place, covering multiple scenarios, so
that we can respond quickly, efficiently and effectively.”
“This break was a major one, leaking over 1,300 gallons of water per minute,” explained John
Wells, Leesburg’s Town Manager. “It could have resulted in widespread service interruptions,
but because our staff are well trained and highly qualified, we were able to minimize the impact
on our customers.”
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