By BECKY KISER
Hays Post

Hays city crews responded to two water main breaks in two days the week of August 9.

“I was awakened the other night at 11 o’clock, went outside, and the city crews were out there busy with a water line break at the end of the street,” said Mayor Eber Phelps during the Aug. 20 city commission work session.

He commended the employees, saying “They did a heck of a job…I was amazed at how fast they got that under control….it was pretty muddy, but under control when I walked down there again about 4:30 a.m.”

“They have it down to an art,” said Utilities Director Bernie Kitten.

Broken water mains are a major inconvenience and recently have been happening more often than usual, Kitten noted.

“Maybe five a month,” he estimated. “We’ve been doing about two a month, and then we had two that week (August 9), so it just varies. I think on average, it’s four per month year-round.

“The Public Works Department does help us. They’re on the call list. Also, the Waste Water Department guys come help us now, too. They’re trained in main break repair,” Kitten told commissioners.

Officials say primary reasons of water main breaks are drought conditions, persistent hot or cold temperatures and aging water infrastructure. Drought causes the ground to shift and increases the risk that mains will break.