MUNSTER | Nine separate blowouts last week along a vintage water main on White Oak Avenue south of Fran-Lin Parkway left some homeowners temporarily without water.
A blowout is more serious than a break in the main and shows that there’s pipe failure, Munster Town Engineer James Mandon told the Munster Town Council at Monday’s meeting.
He was filling in at the meeting for Jim Knesek, director of public works, whose department will supervise the main replacement.
Repairs that were made to the main late last week were only a temporary solution, Mandon said.
“Every time one area was fixed, another would break further down the pipe,” he said. “This water main is very old and brittle. It needs to be replaced immediately.”
The Town Council unanimously approved spending $66,350 for Gatlin Plumbing, of Griffith, to provide emergency replacement of the 8-inch diameter water main that runs along White Oak from Fran-Lin Parkway to Wren Drive. The payment will be made from the town’s water fund.
Mandon said crews from Gatlin were doing the repairs last week when the blowouts occurred. Aaron Graham, of Gatlin, provided a quote for the emergency main replacement.
“This is an emergency and it’s under $75,000,” Munster Town Councilman John Reed said. “We don’t need multiple bids.”
Replacement work will begin as soon as all the ordered materials are on-site and will involve removing eight driveway aprons and about 150 feet of sidewalk.
Stone will be used to temporarily replace the driveway aprons, until concrete plants open this spring, Mandon said. The sidewalks also will be replaced when concrete is available.
For more information, call the Munster Public Works Department at (219) 836-6970.
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