Delavan has successfully replaced a damaged water valve on the city’s main water line at 4th and Cedar Streets, restoring water service and two-lane traffic within seven hours of the reported leak.

During the repaving of 4th Street, the road construction crew from the state contractor accidentally impacted the valve with an asphalt roller, causing damage, but not a leak. Aware of the issue, the valve was scheduled to be replaced on Monday, April 21. However, continuous traffic over the affected area by large semis hauling heavy loads further weakened the damaged valve until it failed.

Despite having the day off in observance of the Easter holiday, the city’s public works staff sprang into immediate action late Friday afternoon, as soon as the alert that the valve had failed was issued. The city crew immediately closed the section of the water mains that fed into the failed valve and secured equipment and a state-certified contractor to begin repairs.

Delavan’s police chief, Michael Evans, was on-site to divert traffic and to close the eastbound lane of 4th from Linden to Oak Streets until a flag crew was on the scene to manage traffic flow.

“Not how I wanted to spend Friday night,” said Nathan Barnett, Public Works Superintendent for the City of Delavan. “[But] we’re not going to have people without water all weekend.”

Repairs were completed by 11:00 PM, and water service was restored. A boil order was issued for the impacted area until testing to ensure there was no contamination of the line was completed. Temporary road plates were placed over the work zone until a permanent layer of asphalt could be applied on Monday.

According to Gage Galloway, the city’s water technician, there were a total of twenty-one homes affected by the incident, along both sides of 4th Street between Elm and Cedar, and along Cedar Street from 4th to 6th.