A main 12-inch water line began leaking in the area of Cedar Center in downtown Arnold just before noon on Wednesday, October 22. Calaveras County Water District field staff members quickly analyzed the severity of the leak and determined the main line would need to be shut down in order to make repairs. The shutdown will take place at around 2 p.m. today, October 22. The repair could take up to eight hours to complete, however field crews are working hard to complete the job quickly and restore water service.
Much of downtown Arnold will be without water service until the repair is complete, including Mill Woods, Lilac Park and Cedar Center. The outage will also affect portions of Pine Drive, Linebaugh Road, Blagen Road and Dunbar Road.
About 500 people are estimated to be affected by this temporary outage. CCWD crews have personally notified as many business owners in the area of the temporary shutdown. Crews will do everything they can to repair the leak and restore water service as soon as possible.
After the leak is repaired, water transmission lines will be flushed and customers may experience brown water and air in their water lines. Even if the water is slightly brown, it is completely safe to drink. If the water is brown, the District recommends that customers turn on an outside line in order to flush their personal plumbing systems. Wait until the water runs clear and the system should function normally. In light of the ongoing drought, please only flush water lines if absolutely necessary.
The water line that is being repaired is the called the Reach 3A Transmission Main, which was installed in the 1960s. Numerous leaks have been reported and repaired in this pipe over the past few years. The District is in the planning stages of replacing this water line as part of its Capital Renovation and Replacement Program.
For more information about this leak repair, go to www.ccwd.org or www.facebook.com/calaveraswaterdistrict.