Broken water line leads to accidents

By John Van Vleet, jvanvleet@bgdailynews.com — 270-783-3256

Wednesday, December 15, 2004

A broken water main made several streets around Western Kentucky University slick this morning, covering the area with a sheet of black ice and causing a number of accidents.

Ben Johnson, a project manager for WKU, said the main broke sometime before 8 a.m.

I cant pinpoint the time exactly, he said. But I was notified at 7:30 this morning. It happened quick.

Johnson said a crew was doing utility work at 15th Avenue and Center Street and accidentally dug into a hidden water main that was still connected to the live water line, causing the pipe to spew water into the streets.

It was an honest mistake, he said.

According to Johnson, several houses used to stand at that corner, which explained the dead junction in the water line. While digging to uncover the live line, the crew knocked a valve cover off the dormant main.

The water blanketed portions of Adams, Center and Kentucky streets, flowing through the gutters and creating dangerous driving conditions. The water quickly froze in this mornings sub-freezing temperatures.

Bowling Green resident Jennifer Logsdon, 21, spun her red Ford Explorer into a fencepost on Kentucky Street.

I thought it was water, she said. I was going to switch lanes.

Wanda Barlow of Bowling Green noticed Logsdon driving behind her for a while, but said she heard a crash and felt compelled to stop.

I just stopped to help, she said.

Bowling Green Municipal Utilities responded quickly and was able to locate a valve and turn off the water.

Steve Barz, assistant project manager at WKU, said that the water was shut off around 9 a.m.

Barz also said Western would start putting sand down on the ice when the water stopped draining into the roadways.  Daily News ·813 College St. ·PO Box 90012 ·Bowling Green, KY ·42102 ·270-781-1700