Don't drink the water: Temporary fix for broken Hokes Bluff main leaves water untested

For Hokes Bluff residents in the area of Tuesday's water main break, Mayor Scott Reeves cautioned people not to drink the water supplied by a temporary line there.

A 6-inch water main broke when a portion of the road on McClain Street washed away in heavy rains Tuesday night, Reeves said.

The water department made a stop-gap fix, putting in a three-quarter inch line to supply water to people in the area from the break toward Smiths Crossroads and Rabbittown Road.

But with the fix, the water department can't test the water, so Reeves said they advised people, for the time being, not to drink the water. It can be used to do laundry and shower, he said.

The fix is complicated by the extent of the road damage, Reeves said. So much road washed out that there is a section of the water line that's extended in mid-air.

"If we run water through it," he said, "it's going to break."

In a similar situation, the mayor said, the water department was able to put a power pole across the gap and tie the water line to it so the weight is supported. He said he didn't know if that would be done this time, or when it might happen.

Contact Gadsden Times reporter Donna Thornton at 256-393-3284 or donna.thornton@gadsdentimes.com.

This article originally appeared on The Gadsden Times: Hokes Bluff: Mayor Scott Reeves cautions people to not drink water