MATTHEW BURNETTE

Staff Writer

Manchester residents may have noticed an increased number of water main breaks recently.

The Manchester Water and Sewer Department has announced to the public six different breaks within a one-month period.

Breaks included sites on Oak Hill and Norton Road on Sept. 28, Coffee St. on Sept. 21, the break on Hwy 53 that closed Coffee County Middle School and New Union for a day and half from Sept. 16 to 17, Ragsdale Road and New Bushy Branch on Sept. 14, Cathey Ridge Road on Sept. 10 and Hillsboro Hwy on Aug. 26.

According to Water and Sewer Director Lonnie Foley, the breaks were caused by combined factors.

“The recent increase in water main breaks is primarily related to the age of portions of our water system, combined with soil and rock conditions, ground movement, and other site-specific factors,” he explained. “The new breaks were not all caused by the same issue.”

Foley added that each break was evaluated individually and “the causes have varied depending on locations and conditions.”

When asked why all of the breaks happened in such a short time span, Foley named one main culprit.

“Primarily the dry weather.”

Dry ground conditions can cause soil to dry out and shrink, leading to the soil settling and shifting. The movement can cause pipes to bend, crack, or become disjointed, leading to costly leaks and breaks.

Foley explained that all of the recent water main breaks have been repaired and are not considered temporary fixes.

He later clarified that the repair on Hwy 53 is, in fact, temporary.

“Due to the complexity of the failure and the need to restore water service to the affected customers as quickly as possible, a temporary repair was completed to reestablish service,” he said.

“The permanent repair has not yet been completed; however, it is scheduled and is expected to be completed within the next few weeks.”