Show Pressure surge breaks up city wafer ter lines lines' Uintah High School was cl closed ed Thursday of last week and many residents in the west westside westside westside side of Vernal City were without Water for Cor a hour 24 period due to a wave shock of pressure on a inch 12 main water line According to Lyman Merkley Vernal City works superintendent a pressure wave surged through the western portion of the Vernal City water system about 8 a pm p.m. Wednesday The pressure build buildup buildup buildup up was caused by a small pilot valve malfunction causing a alar lar large e pressure reducing station to open ope its entire pressure into the water system The pilot yalve valve was located at about 1900 West and South TilE THE PRESSURE caused nine major leaks in the system extending as far east as Vernal Avenue The major damage was a out blow-out on the inch 12 line near West and 2nd North Because of a feed back situation at the West blowout blowout blowout blow blow- out pressure high-pressure water gushed out of both ends of the theline theline theline line estimated at 20 second feet of water The water made its way down an irrigation ditch and some flooded into a field and went through about two blocks of the area before the two mains could be turned off The flooding water froze as it flooded in the freezing tern Tema and created icy conditions wherever it went FOR FOIt 2 21 HOURS city employees employees em em- and others called in worked on the city water system to get it back into working order The source of the leaks were difficult to find and reach because of the frost layer said Merkley By 7 pm p.m. Thursday the main inch 12 line was back in service and seven of the smaller leaks had been repaired Some of the difficulties encountered encountered en en- countered in making the repairs began when parts had to be obtained from Salt Lake City Warren Harris a city waterworks waterworks waterworks water water- works employee who is also a pilot made Iwo flights to Salt Lake City for the parts The first time he took a small plane and couldn't get through a storm near Salt Lake He lie had to come back and take a larger plane and then made it through Other problems included milling out pipe fittings and pouring concrete in subfreezing subfreezing sub sub- freezing temperatures JOHN HACKING and his son assisted Vernal City with his equipment in repairing the main line and also breaking through the frost to locate locale and repair the pipeline breaks Merkley said the water accident accident ac ac- ac was a bad one but it could have been much worse It could have damaged more mor water lines than it did and the main break occurred in an area that could dispose of the water without much property property- damage If the main break had been on down the line it would have probably flooded out several homes When asked why the pressure up build-up occurred Merkley could only say that it was just one of those things that sometimes happen The faulty valve is about 15 years old and should work for many more years but sometimes they just break down he stated t 4 a M t o. o N t e b t j 4 S Sr d ft r o 1 S 'S S' S t t w FOCAL POINT of water line break These two Inch 12 lines were spewing water at about the rate rote of 20 second feet A huge three and one-half one yard concrete block holding the water line disappeared from the water pressure Repairs 1 W were made and concrete was poured around the fittings to hold the line In place before water service could be restored to the surrounding area IP 4 r KS is isy c y g w sS s.'S s. s S 'S t q 8 L ah t. t 4 kr at M rt aw sex F a a TWO B BACKHOES S worked together tearing a portion of Dole Dale Avenue Thursday of last we week k In an on effort to locate locote and repair yat by a pre pressure su e surge 1 a city system m. m P People without water didn't mind seeing their streets torn up if it meant getting their water turned back on |