News Briefs: Ruptured Main in Vermont Closes Schools, Triggers Boil-Water Advisory

Also in this week's sewer and water news, water utilities in California are buying fuel and diesel-powered generators amidst wildfire-related power outages

A large water main in Arlington, Vermont, ruptured in the early morning hours of Nov. 8, causing a portion of road to collapse, a boil-water advisory and the closure of area schools.

The pipe that broke is a 36-inch main, according to WTOP News. “With that much water — and it’s at a fairly high pressure at this portion of our system — it was basically like a geyser,” Mike Collins of the city’s Department of Environmental Services tells the station.

Water Utilities Buying Fuel, Generators Amidst California Wildfires 

Water utilities throughout California are stocking up on fuel and diesel-powered generators amidst the state’s wildfire season.

Electric utilities in the state are cutting power in some areas in an effort to avoid starting fires, but that’s leaving pump stations without power, according to water utility officials.

“Every water supplier needs electricity in order to pump water where it needs to go and to treat water,” Shannon Dean, corporate communications director for California Water Service, tells Bloomberg Environment.

The state’s Department of Water Resources is reportedly spending $100,000 per month renting two generators as a precaution in case power is cut.

Memphis Bar Closes for Fifth Time This Fall Due to Sewer Issues

Meanwhile, a bar in Memphis, Tennessee has shut down five times since late September due to flooding from a damaged sewer line.

In a Facebook post, the Bardog Tavern shares a photo of its flooded establishment and claims the city has dismissed its warnings about the sewer line in the past and now the pipe has collapsed after being damaged by a contractor.

The city says it has crews working to fill a cavity and they plan to contact Memphis Light, Gas and Water to address the problem.



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