When we open up our faucets, we expect water to come out. It’s not a modern convenience, it’s an expectation. When a water main broke in Luther Sunday night, and the main water was shut off to the whole town, we were all reminded about the labyrinth of underground pipes and valves that run under the town.
Sometimes those pipes break. A big water main broke in Oklahoma City just last week. It happens.
This two inch pipe break was underground along Southwest Third Street between Apple and Main. There will be no driving down that road until the road can be repaired after the thousands of gallons of water saturated the ground under the asphalt before the break was discovered.
The Luther Public Works Authority was on the job Sunday on through the evening and the night. They dug the four-foot deep hole in the ground, and proceeded to get covered in red Oklahoma mud to find the busted pipe, a pipe with a date of 1948 on it. Turns out the pipe was not even on the grid map. Jerrod Curtis of LPWA has already fixed the Town’s Master map to correct that oversight.
They got the water back on overnight but shut it off Monday afternoon to make the repairs. The water flowed again by 5pm Monday.
There were plenty of calls to Town Hall and some folks just wandered down to the scene of the break to “supervise” or ask why their water pressure was low. They were greeted with friendly replies and assurances that the water would be back on soon.
Local restaurant Los Vega’s cooked up a taco feast for the crew Sunday night. The fire department kept them in coffee, and even though the water was out at Sonic Monday afternoon making Happy Hour Dr. Peppers impossible, Sonic treated the crew to some sweet teas, made before the water was cut off.
Tired and muddy, Curtis said he loves and appreciates his job and takes pride in working for the Town of Luther.
Moving forward, the Town no doubt will look at its water grid and assess its water system.
For now, Town residents can get the dishes done and start another load of laundry.
And you might think about visiting a Luther restaurant this week. Many of them like Josephine’s Cafe, Sonic and Los Vega’s closed early Monday when the water was shut-off, losing business.
#mytown #LutherLocal
