Water pours from Pleasant Valley Bridge as a flock of geese flies by Monday morning, Aug. 22, following a break in a water main that runs under the bridge.
Sweet Home Public Works Director Greg Springman said traffic over the bridge was shut down later in the morning to allow Linn County Road Department staffers to check the bridge’s integrity – which, he said, turned out to be fine. The break was the result of pipe fittings vibrating loose, Springman said. The 12-inch steel water main is suspended by hangers from the bridge, and some of those hangers have worn out, Springman said.
Tuesday morning, Aug. 23, a contractor checked the situation out and Springman planned to present an emergency request for proposals to the City Council later that night, following press time for The New Era, to get the pipe fixed.
Due to the fact that air was able to enter the pipe during the break, the city followed Oregon Health Authority guidelines and issued a Boil Water Advisory for residents living west of 10th Avenue. The advisory was lifted Tuesday afternoon.
Springman said that in the majority of cases, boiling is probably not needed, “but we don’t want to take chances.” Water samples from the pipe were sent for testing, which Springman said should be completed later Tuesday.