ESCANABA — The water main break on North 25th Street and 1st Avenue North that caused road closures and water restrictions in the Escanaba area was fixed in 12 hours Thursday.
He explained at around 5 a.m. his department was notified of the water main break, at 5:15 a.m. they were mobilizing, and by 6 a.m. workers were out trying to locate and fix the break in the water pipe.
Lampi said the amount of the water and sub-zero temperatures did make finding and repairing the leak difficult.
He said he was very thankful for all the local people, businesses and agencies that pitched in and helped during the situation.
The other agencies, businesses and people that worked or offered help were the city of Gladstone Water Department, Ed Brunette for two front end loaders and operators for most of the day, Jay DeShambo, Mark Rose, Delta County Road Commission, Emergency Management, Delta County’s Sheriff’s Department, Delta County Search and Rescue, MDOT, Rampart, Central Dispatch, Michigan State Police, Jamie DeGrande, Sen. Ed McBroom.
Lampi explained he worked closely with Bill Farrell of OSF St. Francis Hospital (former Escanaba Public Works director) in making sure the residents of Escanaba wouldn’t have to boil their water as a precaution for the next couple of days.
“We had to make a decision whether we were going to shut the city down and go on a boil advisory.
Robert Berbohm, the Delta County emergency management coordinator, said he is working towards getting funding from the state for the costs of the water main break because Gov.
He explained normally a city would declare first, the county would support and then the state.
Berbohm said he is working to see if the water main break qualifies to be paid for by the section 19 funds since the state declared a state of emergency already.