Watson Boulevard water-main break cuts service for about 700; city expects restoration tonight

City officials said a water-main failure under Watson Boulevard has left roughly 700 customers without service and that crews expect to restore most service by about 8 p.m. after an extended repair effort.

City Administrator James Drinkard said the problem was discovered early Tuesday when a pothole report led crews to find a developing sinkhole. “We are approximately 48 hours in now and that is not anything that we expected,” Drinkard said, describing continuous 24-hour crew rotations. He said the city coordinated lane closures with the Georgia Department of Transportation and Robins Air Force Base public affairs because the closure affected commuter traffic to the base.

The pipe is an older line installed in the 1960s and now sits about 30 feet below the roadway beneath a state-installed box culvert, Drinkard said. That depth and the lack of original installation records forced crews to excavate extensively to find the main. “We had to get in and start digging,” he said.

Officials said the break was complicated by the close proximity of a large natural gas force main, which prevented the use of heavy equipment and required some hand excavation for safety. Concrete-delivery delays also slowed work because truck drivers reached federally mandated driving-time limits, Drinkard said.

Ron Smith, who leads the water division, described the damaged pipe as a 12-inch cast-iron main and said crews initially planned a local repair clamp but could not safely place personnel in the 30-foot excavation beneath the box culvert. Smith said crews shut the line and are installing valves on both sides of the break to bypass the damaged section temporarily; the city plans a later redesign and more permanent repairs.

Drinkard estimated about 700 customers are potentially affected, roughly 350 of them residential. He acknowledged the city will not prorate water bills for lost service because meters are not recording flow while water is shut off: “The answer to that is no, we will not,” he said, explaining that meters do not turn without flowing water.

Officials advised there will be no boil-water advisory when service is restored. Drinkard said residents may see air or cloudy water at first and recommended running faucets for two to three minutes to flush lines. “The water may first appear a little cloudy. That’s not dangerous by any means,” he said.

The city is preparing a limited bottled-water delivery program for homebound residents; Drinkard said officials will release a phone number if it becomes clear the 8 p.m. restoration target will not be met and asked the public to prioritize neighbors with the greatest need. He asked the public to monitor the city’s social media and website for updates and said Public Information Officer Mandy Stella will issue formal media releases.

Mont e Walters (utilities director) described staff rotations and the use of on-call crews to keep personnel fresh for other concurrent calls, including sewer and gas incidents. Craig Woodyard (stormwater) said stormwater crews located the problem after a caller reported the sinking roadway, which a staff member said likely averted a more serious collapse.

Officials closed the briefing by promising further updates as repairs proceed.