Break poses no danger to users

MOSES LAKE — Downtown construction crews ruptured an eight-inch diameter water main Wednesday, leaving consumers' water supply in one section of the city miscolored for a few hours. City officials said the dirty water posed no danger to users.

The city expected the cloudy, orange and reddish water to be fully flushed out of the system by Wednesday evening.

"It is safe to drink, although we wouldn't expect people to drink it," said Gary Harer, city municipal services director.

The water main broke about 10:30 a.m. in a section of Third Avenue currently closed for construction, leaving water glasses with a grimy tint as far away as Ivy Street. The coloration was caused when sediments were stirred up in the pipes following the breakage. A backhoe digging a spot for a new water main accidentally struck one currently in the ground.

The water mains are being replaced on the Third Avenue corridor as part of a downtown reconstruction project, sandwiched between Division Street and the post office. The street was closed off earlier this month, and construction crews contracted by the city should be on site through the end of November.

Wednesday's dirty water was primarily confined to the Guffin Eccles neighborhood, Harer said, which includes some offices, but mostly homes and apartments. He has recommended any dirty domestic water be reported to the city, to identify affected areas.

In the event bacteria or fecal matter were to enter the water system, the city would have issued a boil order for all water, Harer said. Neither contaminant has been detected in this instance.

Dan Mathias, regional engineer for the state Department of Health, said city water crews on Wednesday tested affected areas for levels of disinfecting chlorine remaining in the water system. The chemical is used to fight bacteria. Mathias said the results of those tests were reported late Wednesday.

"The range of chlorine concentrations they found typically is very adequate at controlling bacteria in water distribution systems," Mathias said in an e-mail Thursday morning.

Harer said this is the first incident of this kind he can recall within the city limits.

The Larson subdivision, north of the city, experienced incidents of dirty tap water on a few occasions, before water lines there were replaced three to four years ago.

Harer said Wednesday's incident may dirty washing machine screens. He recommended residents in the affected area cycle their washing machine or dishwasher before cleaning dishes and clothes.