A water reservoir for Ironton will receive additional repairs in order to stop a leak that is costing the city treated drinking water.

Wednesday, February 20, 2002

A water reservoir for Ironton will receive additional repairs in order to stop a leak that is costing the city treated drinking water.

In January, a company was contracted by the city to clean Clearwell No. 1, an 85 year old structure located at the top of Nixon Hill. According to Joe McCallister, the city’s engineer, after the tank was cleaned, city water officials noticed they were producing more water although water consumption by consumers was not increasing.

Cleaning the sediment from the tank, McCallister speculates, may have allowed water to leak from the tank easier since the water didn’t have to filter through the sediment.

The leaking water, McCallister said, was coming out the north side of the hill at an elevation much lower than the tank. McCallister said the water was either flowing through old mines or through a natural crevice through the rocks.

Cracks in the tank’s floor were repaired, McCallister said, and the leak was reduced. Last night, city council approved legislation that will fund another round of emergency repairs to the tank. McCallister said this round of repairs will hopefully finish patching the major cracks in the tank.