Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, January 12, 1995 TAG: 9501120072
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-3 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: MATT CROWDER STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
The break happened just before 3 p.m. Tuesday, and water in the main was turned off about half an hour later. It caused a loss of water pressure in three-fourths of Roanoke and parts of Roanoke County.
Several motels in the area lost water completely, which led to a loss of business.
"We have a lot of truckers come in, and it's difficult for them to not have any water," said Donnie Moss, manager of the Friendship Inn on Orange Avenue. Moss said water service was restored about 6 a.m. Wednesday.
Tim Back, restaurant manager at the Holiday Inn Civic Center, said that all rooms except those in the motel's newer back wing, which is served by different pipes, lost water.
"Most everybody was real understanding," Back said. The motel had its water restored about 5:45 a.m., Back said.
A section of westbound Orange Avenue at the intersection with Williamson Road had to be excavated to repair the break, according to Jesse Perdue, the street department's manager for utility line services.
According to Michelle Bono, city spokeswoman, there is no danger of contamination when a water main breaks. The pressure of the flow through the break prevents any fouled water from flowing into the branch lines to houses or businesses.
The line is sterilized with chlorine before it is put back into service.
Bono said the brown color in water when it is first turned on after being shut off is iron that builds up inside pipes. When the water is turned back on, the rush of water stirs up the iron.
Bono cautioned that iron will stain clothes, so it is not a good idea to wash clothes after the water is turned back on without first letting the machine run a little bit.
by CNB