Water main leak leads to school closure
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A graphic shared on social media by the Village of Hampton describes procedures for safe water use during a boil order.
Classes were dismissed at Hampton Public Schools on Tuesday but not because of weather this time. The reason for calling off school was a water emergency that resulted in the entire town’s water system being shut down for several hours.
Village of Hampton public works director Chris Friesen discovered a leak in a water main on Monday and decided the only way to track down the source of the leak was to shut down the entire system for four hours starting at 8:30 Tuesday morning.
Friesen also issued a boil order to water users and Village Clerk Tammy VanHousen said village board members and other volunteers were helping to post the orders at every residence using village water.
VanHousen said the reason for the break was unknown but speculated it could be related to the extreme cold weather over the past several weeks.
The boil order urged water users to boil tap water for one minute prior to using it for drinking or cooking. It said they should continue doing that until testing had verified that there was no bacterial contamination present in the water supply.
Update as of Tuesday afternoon
The water main leak that caused school to be called off in Hampton on Tuesday has been found and repaired. Village workers with the aid of a contractor had to completely shut off the village's water supply starting at 8:30 a.m. in order to track down the source of the leak. It was discovered at the intersection of 2nd and G Streets where water could be seen bubbling up near the curb and then running down the gutter. A construction worker at the site said the pipe was sheared off causing water to spray out like a fan when it was uncovered. Village Clerk Tammy VanHousen says the leak was found and repaired by about 12:30, within the four-hour window that had been anticipated for the work.
While the water is flowing again, the boil order that had been set Tuesday morning will continue for up to two weeks until the water can be tested to make sure no E. coli bacteria is present. Residents should continue to boil water used for drinking or cooking until the all clear is given.
Classes with resume at Hampton Public Schools on Wednesday. Supt. Holly Herzberg says the protocols will be similar to what the school did during COVID. Students will be asked to bring their own water bottles, water fountains will be shut down and the kitchen will boil water used for cooking.
