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Big Spring City Workers on the Clock 24/7 Repairing Water Line Breaks

As the population continues to go up, so does the demand for water. Which, along with the weather, is part of the reason for water line breaks. One West Texas city is seeing way too many.
By Alicia Neaves
NewsWest 9

BIG SPRING - As the population continues to go up, so does the demand for water. Which, along with the weather, is part of the reason for water line breaks. One West Texas city is seeing way too many.

City crews work tirelessly day and night to solve one of Big Spring's most recurring incidents: water line breaks.

"Over the last month, it seems like every time you turn around we have breaks," Johnny Womack, Director of City Public Works for the city of Big Spring, said.

Womack says the city just got a $350,000 grant dedicated to improvements on the water lines. They plan to spend roughly $1 million to help renovate their pipe system, especially when the breaks have a domino effect.

"About two weeks ago, we literally had three 20-inch [breaks], which are on the low side, one right after the other," Womack said.

That's what sparked the city to meet with design engineers from the water plant to upgrade their aging equipment.

Some of the water pipes are estimated to be 50 years old and the city thinks they deserve more than a quick fix.

"Normally, when we fix the line, we go in and replace a section of the line, and not just put a quick fix - a Band-Aid on it - for lack of a better word," Womack said.

"You're putting in new equipment. You have older infrastructure. There has to be modifications. So we're slowly making those modifications - tweaking it if you will- to get everything in good shape," he said.

To be in good shape requires an efficient plan.

"We look at a map with all of our breaks for the past few years and that's how we decide what area. When you've got one area that's got a whole bunch of dots on it, then you know that's probably where you need to work," Womack said.

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