Update, 11:30 a.m., from Rachael Tabelski:
The break has been repaired. Water service to residents on Law Street was interrupted while repairs were made, but has been restored. Any residents, especially on the southwest side of the city, that has brown discoloration in their water, should run their cold water at this time until it runs clear. After discovery of the water line break, the city asked for conservation efforts of water while we investigated the extent of the issue. At this time all conservation requests are discontinued.
---------------
City of Batavia workers have identified a water leak on Law Street that currently, according to City Manager Rachael Tabelski, is affecting a limited number of residents.
“There was a call midway through the day yesterday (Saturday) that the tanks at the water plant were dropping,” Tabelski told The Batavian minutes ago at the scene. “They (water plant employees) waited to see how the demand was yesterday. And as they got into the night when water usage is typically lower, the tanks continued to drop, which is an indication of a leak in the system.”
Tabelski said crews began looking at different lines throughout the city and northern towns of Genesee County where they suspected the leak could occur.
“As they moved through the night, they walked lines all over the city -- especially the larger lines -- because the leak we could tell was significant because of the drop in our tanks,” she said. “And we need those tanks every day to refill at night to then supply enough water to all the customers during the daytime.”
She said she came out to meet crews around 6 this morning to issue a press release on their behalf so they could stay in the field.
“Then we went out and in daylight were able to see that the break occurred on Law Street. So, now crews are here trying to determine if it is just a junction to a fire hydrant or if it's the full line that broke. We’ll know more later.”
When asked if it is a major break or something that could be repaired quickly, Tabelski said that is unknown at this point.
“Luckily it's affecting a small number of customers,” she said. “The goal right now to try to ensure the customers on Law Street -- the residents -- get their water back immediately because they did have to shut off and isolate this.
“The good news is we know this is what the cause of it is because they there was a spike in the water tanks as they began to fill again. So, we're very confident that is what it is.”
Earlier, Tabelski sent out a press release asking residents to conserve water until the leak in the system was identified and repaired.
Photos: City of Batavia crews are on Law Street this morning, the site of a water leak that currently is affecting a small number of customers. Photos by Howard Owens.
