Water Main Ruptures at McCann Street

2008-03-13 / Front Page


A break in a water main on McCann Street in St. Ignace had crews working for more than 10 hours Saturday, March 8, as they dug through about four feet of ground frost seeking the source of the rupture. Fifteen homes lost water service for about five hours. Digging through frost is almost worse than digging through solid bedrock, said Les Therrian, Department of Public Works (DPW) director. Working in 10-degree temperatures, he said, crews made the discovery about 7 p.m. that the water line had broken somewhere between the old McCann School and Chambers Street. The problem, said Mr. Therrian, could even be the result of an underground spring. "We won't really know," he said, "until spring when the frost lets up. It's one of those baffling things." A 20-foot by 25-foot hole was dug. The rushing water found its way into an abandoned sewer line that runs from the old McCann School, traveling down the street under the frost line, before surfacing at the corner of McCann and Chambers. A temporary repair was made by Brian Peterson (pictured) of the DPW, along with Gary Bigelow, Andy Johnson, Dennis Sorenson, and Mr. Therrian. The men ran a pipe from the old sewer line to the storm drain to divert the water until crews can find the exact location of the underground spring or water main break and make the necessary repairs. A break in a water main on McCann Street in St. Ignace had crews working for more than 10 hours Saturday, March 8, as they dug through about four feet of ground frost seeking the source of the rupture. Fifteen homes lost water service for about five hours. Digging through frost is almost worse than digging through solid bedrock, said Les Therrian, Department of Public Works (DPW) director. Working in 10-degree temperatures, he said, crews made the discovery about 7 p.m. that the water line had broken somewhere between the old McCann School and Chambers Street. The problem, said Mr. Therrian, could even be the result of an underground spring. "We won't really know," he said, "until spring when the frost lets up. It's one of those baffling things." A 20-foot by 25-foot hole was dug. The rushing water found its way into an abandoned sewer line that runs from the old McCann School, traveling down the street under the frost line, before surfacing at the corner of McCann and Chambers. A temporary repair was made by Brian Peterson (pictured) of the DPW, along with Gary Bigelow, Andy Johnson, Dennis Sorenson, and Mr. Therrian. The men ran a pipe from the old sewer line to the storm drain to divert the water until crews can find the exact location of the underground spring or water main break and make the necessary repairs.

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