Water Main Break Closes SOS Center on East Olive Street

Water Main Repairs on East Olive Street

Due to a water main break on Olive Street in Lamar, resulting in the lack of water in the building, the Lamar Community Resource & Senior Center and SAGE Nutrition are closed today, July 30, 2015.

The Prowers Area Transit Services (PATS) continue at this time, however, PATS may need to close early today. Any questions may be directed to Darren Glover, Operation Director and Facility Coordinator, #336-8039.

Pat Mason, City of Lamar Public Works Director, explained that the call on the break came at about 9pm Wednesday and a repair crew has been on the scene since that time, first attempting to detect the source of the break. “We had a situation where the break was about six feet in length and at the base of the pipe so the water was gushing downwards in all directions,” Mason said.

Concrete and Asphalt Road Base

He added that there was a base of nine inches of concrete covered by about six inches of asphalt which caused all the running water to be forced to the sides of the roadway which hindered pinpointing the exact location of the break.

Replacement Pipe in Place

“The pipe we replaced must have been about 45 years old,” he estimated. A replacement pipe has been laid in place and work will continue through the day, securing connections and rebuilding the road. It’s because of the city’s aging water and electrical infrastructure that grants are being sought to pay for the costs involved with reconstructing the water and electrical lines running under Main Street when CDOT beings it’s renovation project in the spring of 2016.

By Russ Baldwin