Avista and the City of Medical Lake had an unfortunate encounter with a long forgotten service line near the intersection of North Stanley and East Percival Streets on Monday.
Avista crews were placing a new utility pole and, in an abundance of caution at the city’s request, had moved slightly away from an existing fire hydrant to place the pole.
The city was unaware, however, that an old service line was below. Avista subsequently hit and punctured the line.
“I think there was an old grain silo there at one time,” City Administrator Doug Ross speculated.
Water service in about five square blocks of Medical Lake was interrupted for approximately two hours, according to Ross.
Because the city gets water from two different sources, city maintenance crews can normally isolate the occasional leak or break by shutting off and turning on water valves, and thus minimize service interruptions for most.
But the recent cold snap had frozen those valves, and since forcing them open might cause more damage, maintenance crews instead focused on fixing the original leak.
“You don’t want to risk your valves and risk bigger issues,” Ross said. “It inconvenienced some people for a couple hours.”
Ross noted that more often they get rotten aluminum service lines that corrode and develop leaks. Who fixes them — the city or the homeowner — depends on where the leak is. If the leak is outside the water meter or the property line, it’s the city’s responsibility. Inside and repairs are at the expense of the homeowner.
Lee Hughes can be reached at lee@cheneyfreepress.com.
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