Ironton City Water Department workers are battling to contain a water main break downtown today.

Tuesday, December 28, 1999

Ironton City Water Department workers are battling to contain a water main break downtown today.

The cause of the break is not yet known, but water department officials said the drinking water is not under a boil advisory.

"They still have water," said Charlene Thomas of the city Water Department. "The only time they issue the boil advisory is when there has been no water in the line."

Like Third and Spruce streets downtown, the city water office also was flooded in the morning hours – with telephone calls from customers complaining of discolored water and low water pressure, Ms. Thomas said.

"The break was in the main and that’s really all we know about it at this time," she said.

Department distribution superintendent John McCabe confirmed that no boil advisory had been issued as of 11:15 a.m. today.

The break was discovered by the Ironton Police Department in the early morning hours and water department crews immediately were dispatched to begin working to repair the broken main.

Ironton officials have the area surrounding the break blocked to traffic. The surrounding area will remain inaccessible to traffic until the line is repaired.

Once the break is repaired, water pressure should return to normal to any affected businesses or homes, water department officials said.