Workers watch as a loader lifts broken blacktop out from around one of the water mains on South Campus. The main broke on Monday, Feb. 18. (Drew Bouman/TommieMedia)
Heavy machinery sits on top of thick ice in the parking lot between Grace and Cretin halls. The ice was created by the water leaking from the broken water main on South Campus. (Drew Bouman/TommieMedia)
Workers discuss their next step in locating the leak in the water main. (Drew Bouman/TommieMedia)
Workers use a jackhammer attached to an excavator in order to dig a hole to access the leaking water main on South Campus. The workers arrived on South Campus on Feb. 19 and started digging around 6:30 a.m. (Drew Bouman/TommieMedia)
A worker leans out the window of his jackhammer to hear instructions from his supervisor. The jackhammer was being used to break apart the blacktop and dig out the water main. (Drew Bouman/TommieMedia)
Valley Rich construction workers arrived on South Campus Tuesday morning to locate and fix the water main leak that left residents without water Monday morning. They used sonic wave technologies to try and locate the leak, but due to its size and the presence of two water mains on South Campus were unable to pinpoint the leak’s location.
“The water is looking for the path of least resistance and this is where it was coming out of the ground,” said a worker. “We’re hoping that means the leak is right around here but we can’t be sure.”
With Wednesday’s snowfall approaching, the workers believe the job will be finished before then.
“We will be done today,” the worker said. “We never go home in the middle of a job and if that means we’re working till midnight, then we’re working till midnight.”