Crews out all night preparing water lines

A secondary leak formed near Siemens.

Marion maintenance crews were still working at 10:30am today on a secondary leak that formed as a result of yesterday’s major water line break on the side of Wilson Hill a few hundred yards below the city water tank.

The secondary leak formed next to Industrial Drive beside of Siemens. Gary Gerrard, city maintenance director, said it appears the leak on Industrial Drive formed due to the system being turned off and on numerous times overnight as workers repaired the 12-inch line break on the hillside behind the Front Porch Restaurant.

City employees have been on the job continuously since about 1pm Friday when a main trunkline broke, spilling about 600,000 gallons of water onto the ground, damaging at least one home.

The good news, Gerrard said, is that the city water system is back on. However, a boil water order remains in effect until further notice.