Close call: City's 12-inch water main is hit, quickly fixed

Google image shows water tower and two businesses involved.

By Aaron Gershon
University of Kentucky School of Journalism and Media

Midway residents nearly saw their water shut off on Thursday after an accident involving two businesses in Midway Station.

Mayor Grayson Vandegrift said AST Environmental hired its neighbor, Reed Utilities, to bore underground for an electric-service upgrade. During the process, a worker hit the 12-inch water main that comes from the nearby tower.

After sending an alert to City Council members, City Hall staff and the Messenger at 3:53 p.m., warning that the city's water supply might be shut off, Vandegrift sent another one at 5:31, saying the issue had been revolved.

The city's water and wastewater operator, Jack Blevins, saved the day, Vandegrift said.

"Because of the amount of water on the site . . . Jack was very concerned the break was bad," Vandegrift said in an email. "He was even more concerned because it was at the bottom of the pipe, the hardest spot to do a repair."

Luckily, Blevins was able to determine upon digging around the pipe that he could fix it without cutting it, and used a repair band around the pipe that sealed the break.   

Jack Blevins

Public Works Supervisor Terry Agee assisted Blevins with the repair in what Vandegrift called a team effort. The mayor praised Blevins, who worked without his usual co-worker, who is not working due to being at high risk for covid-19.

"I give Jack a ton of credit because he doesn't normally call me as worried as he did today, and given the current circumstances of dealing with covid-19, the timing would have been exceptionally bad,” Vandegrift said. "He pulled a rabbit out of his hat today."

The mayor added, "It's a great example of why I'm so proud of all our city employees. They're a skeleton crew, but they work together, and they've all absolutely stepped up even bigger during this pandemic."

AST and Reed Utilities also played an important role in helping resolve the problem, according to Vandegrift. "They hit the line by accident but were extremely helpful afterward, he said. "It's not every day the one who hits a line also helps you fix it."

The mayor says he does not fault either company. "Unless you have X-ray vision, it's a human thing to think you're further from a line than you are. It could have been a bad deal, but fortunately, it turned out well."