Contractor mishap provides teachable moments

An unfortunate construction mishap last week highlighted the importance of the details that contractors and builders must know.

It was also a reminder to all of us that we should know what utilities lie underground before we dig.

A subcontractor who was erecting a bridge piling along Old Orchard Road struck a submerged water main, damaging it slightly. The result was that half of the city of Jackson was placed on a boil water advisory for a day and a half while the water was tested for potential contaminants.

This meant thousands of residents no longer could drink or wash their food with tap water.

And because the area affected included a busy commercial district along East Jackson Boulevard, it meant that several restaurants and convenience stores had to scramble to adjust their operations.

In terms of perspective, this was not a devastating construction accident, as no one was injured or killed. But the effect was wide.

It was human error, and mistakes happen. But in construction, mistakes can have far-reaching consequences. It is unclear if the city will impose any kind of repercussions.

It was somewhat alarming that one restaurant manager, when reached by telephone by a Southeast Missourian journalist, said he was not aware of the advisory by midmorning on Tuesday, some 16 hours after the city first announced the news. When water safety is in doubt, it is imperative that restaurants and vendors that use the city's water supply are notified. The city issued alerts to the mass media, which reached most of the people affected, but the city should review its communication policies for such instances, and consider making more person-to-person contact with restaurant personnel.

Thankfully, tests came back and proved the water contained no contaminants. No one got sick. Everything turned out fine.

This incident, while inconvenient to individuals and disruptive for businesses, may have provided some teachable moments.