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Community Corner

Water Leak Work: Expect Delays at the Fountain for Much of Tuesday

Repair to a water main leak scheduled to begin at 6:30 a.m. and finish at 4 p.m.

Updated at 10:30 a.m. to include comments from Edmonds Public Works director Phil Williams.

If you're driving in downtown Edmonds on Tuesday, you might want to steer clear of the fountain.

The City of Edmonds recently discovered a water main leak adjacent to the fountain at Main Street and Fifth Avenue North. Repair work begins at 6:30 a.m. and is scheduled to conclude at 4 p.m.

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The leak was discovered last week when City street and storm crews noticed water, where it was supposed to be dry, in a storm drain at Main and Third streets. According to Public Works director Phil Williams, a water sample confirmed the presence of chlorine, meaning it was City water.  

Although City workers used their own audio phones, Williams said they couldn’t pinpoint the leak and a contractor specializing in leaks was called in. “They ended tracking it up further east of Main up to Fifth to where they got the loudest returns. As they went past the intersection, it got quieter.”

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Williams said the leak still hasn’t precisely been located due to an underground vault at the intersection that acts as an echo chamber. “We know about where it is,” he said. “We’re just going to have to go in and take a good educated guess where it starts and hope we get lucky.”

Because of that, Williams offers this proviso.

“Anytime you are working below the surface, you can get surprised. So we’ve tried to think of all the contingent possibilities. You can imagine if you have to open up  a larger whole to get it fixed, it’s going to affect traffic flow and the amount of time it’s going to take. I hate to overpromise and underperform. We understand this is an inconvenience and your patience is appreciated.”

City workers will be excavating with a Vactor truck that weighs about 60,000 pounds, so it will take up a large space at the intersection, which is controlled by stop signs.

During the repair work, pedestrian traffic will not be affected around the intersection, Williams said. Although traffic and parking will be allowed on Fifth Avenue South, Fifth Avenue North will be blocked to through traffic.  

Signs will be posted for detours.

After the leak is fixed, Williams said a temporary patch will be installed on the road. The work will involve digging up some of the decorative touches, both smooth concrete and aggregate material, that surround the fountain. The City will then schedule a time to repair the decorative elements.

The City of Edmonds has alerted area residents and businesses about Tuesday’s work.

Here’s the expected schedule:

6:30-7:30 a.m. Mobilize equipment and place traffic control signs.
7:30-8:30 a.m. Pump out the utility vault and open the road surface (concrete)
8:30-12:00 p.m. Locate, excavate, and repair water main.
12:00-3:00 p.m. Backfill excavation and restore road with a temporary patch
3:00-4:00 p.m. Remove traffic control signs and open for all traffic movements

For more information, go to the City's Web site or call 425-771-0235.

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