Willow Springs water safe after main damage, officials say

Water quality was not compromised after a construction accident damaged a water main crossing the canal, officials said during the Nov. 14 village board meeting.

A Walsh Construction crew hit one of two water mains while removing pylons on the canal bank with an excavator at 7:05 a.m. on Oct. 23, said Colleen Kelly, executive director of the Justice-Willow Springs Water Commission.

The crew reported the damage immediately upon noticing water bubbling up. Due to pressure in the line, no canal water seeped in, Kelly said. As a precaution, the line was shut off, and a boil order was issued for about 1,600 residents north of the canal.

“We isolated the damage and issued a boil order for the area due to the water main’s pressure dropping,” Kelly said.

To ensure service continuity, an emergency plan rerouted water from Burr Ridge to residents reliant on the damaged main, Kelly said.

Kelly explained that repairs involve installing about 430 feet of new pipe through the existing water main, which will act as a casing. Repairs are expected to be completed within a month, she said.

Kelly noted that Walsh Construction and its insurance will cover the full cost of the repairs, meaning the village or water commission will not incur any expenses.

The damaged main, located 15 feet from the canal bank and submerged in 17 feet of water, is one of two crossing the canal. The other is a 16-inch line, she said.

Village trustees and Mayor Melissa Neddermeyer expressed satisfaction with the rapid response and repair plan.

“The water is safe,” Neddermeyer said after the meeting. “The water commission did a great job restoring service. Residents were down a half-hour before they switched to the backup system. So, the disruption of service was very minimal.”