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District reports 40,000–50,000 gallons-a-day loss; board presses toll operator to find leak
Summary
District staff reported an ongoing distribution leak near a highway crossing that the toll-road operator’s contractor has not located after multiple digs. Board members discussed ownership questions, daily flow monitoring and sharing specialist leak-detection contacts.
La Porte County Regional Sewer and Water District staff told the board Feb. 24 they are losing an estimated 40,000 to 50,000 gallons of water per day from the distribution system near a highway crossing and that the toll-road operator’s contractor has not yet found the source.
Board members said the toll-road contractor Reeth/ Reece Riley has performed at least two excavations and used listening equipment but reported no clear leak location. District staff said they have been logging daily flows and sending written updates so that the district’s communications are documented. The district noted it would need to issue a boil advisory and notify the state only if portions of the distribution system are shut down.
Discussion focused on lines of ownership and liability. Multiple board members said the toll-road operator (referred to in the meeting as Toll Road LLC) appears likely to be responsible for the section of distribution piping that crosses the highway, but legal easements and contract terms must be reviewed before the district takes action. Board members suggested the toll operator consider independent leak‑detection specialists; the board cited a local firm and recommended sharing additional contractor names to expedite resolution.
District staff described daily monitoring protocols and said they have been copying board members on written correspondence to create a record of communications. The board asked the district engineer and staff to assemble a timeline of events and costs and to pursue reasonable contractor referrals. No regulatory enforcement action or formal assignment of financial responsibility was recorded at the meeting.
The board did not vote on a new policy; members instead asked staff to continue documenting flows, provide daily updates to the board, and coordinate with the toll-road operator and the district’s engineer to identify qualified leak‑detection firms. If the district must close parts of the distribution system, staff said they will issue standard public‑health advisories and notify the state as required.
