SAN BENITO — Necessary repairs were made to the city’s water supply system Tuesday evening after a major water leak caused a reduction in water pressure throughout the city earlier that day.
Service since has been restored.
The city initially experienced a major water leak at Water Treatment Plant No. 1. The break was located five-feet underground a header, which is a connection point after treated water is fed to distribution lines, the City’s Public Works Department reported.
Repairs to the header and other improvements are being made.
“As of 6:23 p.m. Wednesday, pumps No. 1 and No. 6 were in full operation at 55 pounds per square inch,” according to a report from public works director Adan Gonzalez.
At one point, the city had the water, sewer and street department personnel working on a rotation basis to complete the repairs quickly.
As a back-up measure, the city called on Harlingen for a long-standing existing interconnection agreement to power-up the water lines, to ensure an uninterrupted flow of water to the city.
However, City Manager Manuel De La Rosa reported to commissioners Tuesday night the city’s water plant was now operating on its own.
“Luckily, our staff knew what to do, and we had the parts provider there on-site to get us what we needed to take care of it,” he said.
Officials requested from citizens during the leak, a curtailed use of water as a preventive measure.
All residents and businesses were asked to conserve water in order to maintain good water pressure throughout the system.
Subsequently, the commission approved a request in an emergency meeting, by De La Rosa to take appropriate measures to make repairs as needed caused by the water main break that serves as the water source at Water Plant No. 1.
The approval was sought in the event repairs exceeded the $10,000 mark.
