Summer heat brings water main concerns
By: Brian Kushida
Updated: June 27, 2012
Summer heat can bring troubles small and big to Maud, Texas.
"The ground dries out, the ground shifts, the water lines will crack and break and stuff like that," said Mayor Dwight Butler.
With triple-digit temperatures here, Butler says the hot season creates the potential for broken water mains in the city.
One broke Monday, resulting in water temporarily cut off to more than 1,000 residents. A boil order remains in place through Wednesday.
Butler says it would be nice to replace all the old lines, which date back to the 1940's and 50's, but doing so would cost about $4 million. He says that's four times the city's annual budget.
To find ways to work on the system, the mayor says the city routinely applies for grants.
"Small cities, we do really rely heavily upon grants, but they're very competitive to get because all the cities are competing for them," Butler said.
He says the city's been awarded about $1 million in total grant money in the past five years. One enabled the city to have an emergency generator to keep water on when power goes off.
Senior Pastor Ross Hyde with Maud United Methodist Church says he understands the position the city is in -- even if it means having to boil water or bring in a few extra gallons from out of town.
"They're working hard and taking care of it," Hyde said.
Monday's water main break and outage was the first of the year for the city, which had two outages last year.
"The ground dries out, the ground shifts, the water lines will crack and break and stuff like that," said Mayor Dwight Butler.
With triple-digit temperatures here, Butler says the hot season creates the potential for broken water mains in the city.
One broke Monday, resulting in water temporarily cut off to more than 1,000 residents. A boil order remains in place through Wednesday.
Butler says it would be nice to replace all the old lines, which date back to the 1940's and 50's, but doing so would cost about $4 million. He says that's four times the city's annual budget.
To find ways to work on the system, the mayor says the city routinely applies for grants.
"Small cities, we do really rely heavily upon grants, but they're very competitive to get because all the cities are competing for them," Butler said.
He says the city's been awarded about $1 million in total grant money in the past five years. One enabled the city to have an emergency generator to keep water on when power goes off.
Senior Pastor Ross Hyde with Maud United Methodist Church says he understands the position the city is in -- even if it means having to boil water or bring in a few extra gallons from out of town.
"They're working hard and taking care of it," Hyde said.
Monday's water main break and outage was the first of the year for the city, which had two outages last year.
