Fixing Cape water main leak: long hours, outside help

The 14-inch water main right off of Big Bend Road in Cape Girardeau was repaired Tuesday afternoon, following a nearly daylong effort by crews to repair the issue.

Stan Polivick, director of the Cape Girardeau Public Works Department, said the fix could've been made in a matter of hours but the age of the system forced crews to work in less than ideal conditions.

A bell separating from the pipe — which was first installed in 1931 — due to ground shifts from an ongoing drought caused the leak Monday.

"It wasn't because they're 91 years old. The pipes are still in very good shape," Polivick said. "It just happened to be the spot where the pressure — the tension — you know, pulled the pipe apart to where water could get out.

Low pressure was detected at the plant around 4 p.m. Monday. It took 30 to 45 minutes to isolate the area of the leak as two water mains are in close proximity to each other in that area.

Afterward, Polivick said locaters were called in to make sure there were no other utility lines in the area, which there weren't. During the utility location, equipment and crews were mobilized to the scene to begin work.

Digging was done mostly with excavators until within inches of the pipe, when shovels and hydro excavators that vacuum out dirt were used.

The age of the pipes became a factor when trying to stop the flow of water, Polivick said. Because of the age of the system, valves were not installed at critical locations. Although 17 valves were shut off to aid with the repair effort, water was still running through the pipe. Numerous pumps were used to try to keep the water level in the hole at a reasonable level. The director said there were times when crew members were working on the pipe in chest-high, cloudy water.

Alliance Water staff is already looking at locations where valves are needed, Polivick said. Installing valves isn't particularly costly but will likely require a shutdown of an area of the city's water while they are put in.

"This will probably provide some push for us to get things so we can do that," Polivick said.

The pipe was cut with a chainsaw that had a special attachment and was then replaced with a new section of pipe and couplings.

The work required two different shifts, one Monday night into early Tuesday morning and then a day shift that followed. Ste. Genevieve, Missouri, sent four workers overnight and an employee from Caruthersville, Missouri, and delivered parts and helped with the effort. In total, Erica Bogenpohl, water manager, estimated eight people worked at the site overnight, excluding plant staff.

Despite the valve issue causing an elongated repair, Polivick characterized the situation as lucky, in many respects. Surrounding municipalities stepped in with workers and other means to help and there wasn't much issue locating parts.