Pair of water main breaks keep city crews busy Monday

Water flows eastward down the hill of Depot Street from a break less than a block north on Madison Street. City water crews were on the scene of two main breaks Monday morning, with a break also affecting the Edgelea subdivision.

Banner Graphic/BRAND SELVIA

Crews from Greencastle Municipal Utilities were busy dealing with a pair of water main breaks Monday morning.

A break in a field north of Edgelea had residents in the subdivision without water pressure, while another break on North Madison Street was affecting that area.

By afternoon, service had been restored to the affected areas.

Crews work on a water main break on North Madison Street Monday morning.

Banner Graphic/BRAND SELVIA

The Edgelea break happened at some point Sunday evening. Water Department spokesman Ed Phillips reported that operators at the water plant were shutting down around 7 p.m. Sunday when they noticed that the level in the city water tower was down.

He noted that the break is in a field beyond the end of Hilltop Lane.

Edgelea area residents reported being without water Sunday evening, into Monday morning, while crews worked initially to locate the problem and then to find a solution.

Water flows from a sizable hole in the edge of the pavement on Madison Street Monday morning following a water main break.

Courtesy photo

The Madison Street issue came to light Monday morning, and Phillips reported knowing less about it, as it was a newer issue.

However, an area resident told the Banner Graphic that his home had lost water pressure as of shortly after 5 a.m. Monday.

Crews were on the scene near the north end of Madison Street at Depot Street. The flowing water had made a sizable hole at the edge of the pavement along the east side of the street. From that location, water was flowing north along Madison to Depot, then down the hill to Jackson Street/U.S. 231.

Phillips reported that both lines were still on as of 10 a.m., but pressure had been turned down significantly.

Although Edgelea is not within the city limits, residents of the neighborhood purchase water from the City of Greencastle.