UPDATE: OWASA shared an update at 4 p.m. on Saturday saying the boil water advisory was lifted for the customers who experienced a water outage. Additionally, Jones Ferry Road was repaired and traffic returned to normal patterns.

Repairs to a water main break along Jones Ferry Road in Carrboro are poised to stretch into the weekend, according to the Orange Water and Sewer Authority, leading to an extended closure of the street before its own repairs begin.

After experiencing the break on Thursday morning, an update from the water and sewer agency on Friday morning at 9 a.m. said work on the 20-inch line continue through the night and repairs are still needed through Friday. The length of the repairs, according to OWASA, mean Jones Ferry Road is expected to remain closed into next week — as efforts to repair and repave the road cannot be completed until the water line is fully fixed.

Initial alerts from the utility agency said its crews were working to fix a main break in front of OWASA’s Jones Ferry Road Water Treatment Plant around 8 a.m. on Thursday. After isolating the leak and stopping the water flow in less than ten minutes, OWASA said it was maintaining proper water pressure for most of its customers and did not expect there to be widespread impact to water service. The outage map on the agency’s website initially indicated only one OWASA customer had their water shut off as a result of the broken line.

That changed by the middle of Thursday, according to the service agency, as the extent of repairs needed was uncovered. OWASA temporarily stopped water service for 47 more Carrboro customers in the early afternoon, all in the neighborhood across the street from the main break on Jones Ferry Road. Those customers continued to be without water on Friday morning, and will need to follow a boil water advisory once service is restored, according to OWASA. Additionally, the agency said customers in all of its service area could see discoloration in their water as a result of the ongoing repairs.

If discoloration is seen, OWASA recommends running cold water through bathtub faucets until the water is clear. The agency also said despite any changes in color, the water remains safe to drink once the discoloration subsides.

Repair crews work to fix a broken water main along Jones Ferry Road on Thursday, June 27. (Photo via the Orange Water and Sewer Authority.)

Because its interconnection with the City of Durham was activated out of precaution after the break, OWASA also said customers along NC Highway 54 and Barbee Chapel Road have been warned about slightly reduced water pressure while the main break is repaired. Anyone else who experiences a loss of water pressure should call customer service at 919-537-4343, according to OWASA.

With the main break and repairs, Jones Ferry Road is closed in front of the OWASA campus at 400 Jones Ferry Road. Traffic would be detoured at Bim Street and Barnes Street, with no through traffic allowed between Davie Road and Laurel Avenue during the work. With the closure on Jones Ferry Road, the Chapel Hill Transit System will continue to detour the J route and use a temporary stop near Collins Crossing Apartments outside of the closed stretch.

To help the customers who have been affected by the water outage, OWASA set up a water station at the Carrboro Civic Club at 108 Bim Street for Friday. From 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., customers can bring clean containers to fill up with water as necessary.

OWASA said it will provide another update at 4 p.m. on Friday about the water line repairs, road closure, and impact to customers. Details on the affected area and latest recommendations by OWASA can be found on the service agency’s outage and boil advisory map.

 

Photo via the Orange Water and Sewer Authority.

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