Employees of the Elkins Water System have currently been working to replace a water line located on Orchard Street that has been causing the city multiple problems over the years. During this time, the line had to be repaired multiple times due to constant leaks. The project to replace the lines has been divided into three different phases.

In the first phase of the project, water was shut off on Orchard Street to prepare for the second phase. Residents and businesses in the area experienced low or no water pressure.

The purpose of the second phase of the project was to replace the current line with a stronger line to reduce the chances of leakage or buildup, which can cause discoloration in the water. As soon as the water was tested to be clean through the line, the third phase could be started. In the third and final phase of the project, employees of the Elkins Water System spent most of the time connecting customers to the new line. This was the most time consuming part of the project, taking about three days in total to complete.

The source of the original line’s problem was thought to be because of the material that the line was made from, leading up to the reason the line had to be replaced with a stronger one.

External Affairs Specialist Sutton Stokes, who worked closely with the project, said, “The line, which was installed in the mid-twentieth century, was made of galvanized steel. They thought that was a good choice back then, but it has not turned out to be a durable material and these lines frequently break.”

Because of the frequent leaks in the line, many businesses and residents in the area would have to go long periods of time without running water. These places would also experience discoloration in the water from buildup getting in the line. The new line is made up of a smoother and stronger material to prevent this from happening.

Stokes then went on to say “A community’s water infrastructure systems are extremely important to all community members. Many people don’t think about it until there is a problem, but consider what would happen if you couldn’t depend on water coming out of the faucet when you want, or being able to dispose of waste down toilets and drains.”

After years of leaks, the line is now repaired and is expected to go without problems for many years to come. Elkins Water System hopes to repair many of the other lines giving them problems in the future.