News

Crews Working to Repair Water Main Break in Athens

By: Atish Baidya
Posted on: Thursday, February 16, 2017

Update 9 a.m. Feb. 18 –

The boil order has been lifted for the city of Athens.

Update 4:30 p.m. –

Work is continuing on the waterline break in the City of Athens, but officials say the boil order will likely continue through Friday and into the weekend.

The city also notified residents that bottled water is available at the Athens Community Center until 8 p.m. on Thursday and from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Friday. Supplies are limited to one case of water per customer and special accommodations can be made for customers with special needs.

Customers who are homebound may coordinate for a delivery of bottled water from the Athens County chapter of the American Red Cross by calling the Athens County Emergency Management Agency at (740) 594-2261.

Athens City officials are hoping repairs to a water main line servicing much of city will be done within the next 24 hours. The city is under a boil water advisory until noon Friday.

City Engineer Andy Stone says a 16-inch main line broke around 5:30 a.m. The line brings water from the reservoir to the water treatment plant.

“This is a line from the 1930s and it’s a main line for the city,” Stone said. “It’s rare that a line like that breaks but it happens.”

ATHENS, OHIO—February 16, 2017—Jon Young (left) and Pat Casco, Engineering and Public Works employees, wade through muddy water to clean off the exposed segments of the water main in prepare it for its repair. — ATHENS, OHIO—February 16, 2017—Jon Young (left) and Pat Casco, Engineering and Public Works employees, wade through muddy water to clean off the exposed segments of the water main in preparation for its repair. (Drake Withers/WOUB)

The break is affecting water service for people and businesses west of Route 33 and north of the Hocking River.

Water from the broken main line flooded portions of West State Street including the basement of Rena Rancome.

“I mean the amount of water coming in is just beyond,” Rancome’s nephew Brian Murphy said. ” We had two home sump pumps connected, I took one from my house and couldn’t keep up with it.”

Ohio University canceled all Thursday classes. The university says it is providing drinking water to students at various distribution points and placing 75 Port-A-Johns in various residential areas on campus.

The city is distributing bottled water to customers at the Athens Community Center until 8 p.m. Thursday and 8 a.m. through 6 p.m. on Friday. Customers are allowed one case per car. Customers with special needs can get water delivered by the Athens County chapter of the American Red Cross by calling the Athens County EMA at (740) 594-2261 until 8 p.m. Thursday and starting at 8 a.m. Friday.

Susan Tebben and Marisa Oberle contributed to this report.