Extremely cold temperatures, coupled with aging pipes, are causing headaches for the Ronceverte water system’s customers and workers.
Breaks were reported Wednesday morning in waterlines on Clay and Elm streets, along with a relatively minor leak near the Mike Stuart area, according to city administrator Reba Mohler.
City workers were on the scene of both major leaks, trying to execute repairs to minimize a service interruption which could affect as many as half of Ronceverte’s 1,000 water customers, Mohler said.
Ronceverte Elementary School is on a line that is part of the Lewisburg system and, thus, was not affected by Wednesday’s in-town water issues, she said.
Mohler noted that the bitterly cold weather, which has lingered in the Greenbrier Valley for more than a week, is a big factor in the line breakages.
But the age and condition of the pipes being uncovered in the repair process are also an issue, she emphasized.
“The lines are just so old and in need of replacing,” she said.
Ronceverte also suffered a waterline break Saturday, which was repaired that same day but still caused a boil water advisory to be imposed.
Wednesday’s pipe failures mean that the advisory will continue, Mohler confirmed.
— Email: talvey@register-herald.com