Water main breaks are part of the normal process of providing water service to you. We have worked hard to minimize damage and we will restore the area as soon as possible. The area where a break has occurred is temporarily filled in with dirt and/or gravel. It takes approximately 2-4 months for the ground to settle before we can permanently restore the site. Public Works staff will restore the property as quickly as possible. During this process, if the area needs to be cleaned up or the excavation site settles.
Main breaks can occur due to a variety of reasons, such as dry or wet weather causing the ground to shift or due to the normal aging process of the water mains.
After the 2-4 month settling period, the sod or seed restoration will start in the order from when the excavation occurred. If concrete/asphalt is needed in addition to sod/seed, the concrete/asphalt will have to be permanently restored, before the sod/seed can be restored.
Concrete/Asphalt restoration starts with the concrete/asphalt being cut and pulled by the Town’s Public Works Department. The concrete finishing work is then performed by a contractor. Any asphalt restorations are handled by the Public Works Department.
Many main breaks require immediate emergency repairs and no notification can be given. However, we attempt to notify customers when interruption in service is anticipated for non-emergency situations. This is usually with a door to door hanger notice.
Main breaks are unpredictable. However, when they occur, we make every attempt to make repairs as soon as possible with the safety of our employees being the number one priority. We work hard to minimize inconvenience to our customers.
Occasionally, after a main break, some water discoloration may occur for a few hours. During this time, we suggest running your COLD WATER faucet in a sink or bath tub for at least 5 minutes until it runs clear. If there is low pressure, or water discoloration persists, contact the Public Works Water Department at (219)322-6688.
You can call the Public Works Department at (219)322-6688 Monday-Friday during the hours of 7:00am-3:30pm or the non-emergency Police Department at (219)322-5000 for after hour calls in which a Public Works employee will be called out to access the leak.