BY ADAM ATKINSONNorth Country This Week

POTSDAM — A complicated water main break has had village work crews and an outside contractor busy on Main Street across from the fire station for the last couple days.

The initial break which happened several days ago near the intersection with Division Street, led to the reveal of several other problematic leaks in the same area and a more extensive repair, said Village Administrator Isabelle Gates-Shult.

“A water main break occurred on Main Street after the bonnet on the main-line water valve failed. As Village staff worked to isolate the break, a valve on a nearby fire hydrant also began leaking,” Gates-Shult told North Country This Week.  

“Staff then attempted to shut off the water using the street valves, but several of those valves also began leaking due to their age and condition,” she said.

An outside contractor with the specialized equipment needed to make the repair was brought in to address the issue and minimize disruption to residents, Gates-Shult said.

“The contractor installed an insertion valve on the main line, allowing the Village to isolate the affected section and repair the leak without having to excavate and replace the entire line,” said the administrator.

The work was still in progress at the time of this writing.

Village staff were continuing to monitor the area and the condition of the surrounding water infrastructure, said the administrator.

Help St. Lawrence County Stay Connected!

We’re glad you read this article reported by the staff of NorthCountryNow.com.

If you haven’t done so already, please consider subscribing to ensure you have full access to all the news and info about St. Lawrence County.

Your subscriptions make it possible for us to provide trustworthy local news, promote our many community events, and encourage community dialogue.

Please click here to subscribe today!