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Workers place a metal collar on the joint on Thursday night to bring the two pieces together and plug the leak.
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River Street was opened up on Wednesday and crews woredk until late into the night unsuccessfully trying to fix the late.
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Uncovering the pipe again on Thursday.
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Old maps were pulled out to try to track down the gate system and divert water.

North Adams Lifts Boil Water Notice

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Crews spent long hours digging, filling and chasing down gates, leavened with a little levity.
Update on Saturday Sept. 26, 1 p.m.: The state Department of Environmental Protection has lifted the boil water order issued Friday for residents affected by the water main break on River Street.
 
It is no longer necessary to use boiled water or bottled water for drinking, making ice, brushing teeth, washing dishes and preparing food. The City of North Adams apologizes for any inconvenience and thanks you for your patience.
 
The areas specifically identified as potentially affected were:
River Street, Yale Street, Upper Meadow Street, Williams Street, North Street, Cady Street, Pitt Street, Chesbro Avenue, Chase Avenue, North Holden Street, Dover Street, Miner Street, Wal-Mart, and McCann Technical School.
 
The city has it has taken the following actions to confirm the status of the water system:
  • The water main has been repaired and the water mains were disinfected with chlorine.
  • A chlorine residual has been maintained throughout the water system.
  • Friday, Sept. 25, multiple water system samples were collected from the affected area and elsewhere in the city. All results were absent for total coliform bacteria and showed adequate chlorine residuals.
  • Pressures have been determined to be adequate in the at-risk areas.

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NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The city released a boil water notice for all residences and business that lost water service or experienced discolored water or lower pressure in connection to the River Street water main break.

 
The Department of Public Services released a statement at 2:30 p.m. on Friday urging residents and businesses whose water was affected to boil water before consumption. 
 
The statement reads:
 
"Due to the water main break on River Street, and as a precaution, all residences and business which lost water service, or experienced discolored water or lower pressure (below 35 psi at the water main/hydrant), advised to boil water for one minute prior to use for human consumption."
 
The Public Works and Water departments spent two days trying to isolate the leak in order to repair it. The 24-inch main separated at a joint that was probably caused by expansions and contractions from changing temperatures.
 
The leak was reported at about 7 p.m. on Tuesday and crews dug out the area on Wednesday. However, crews struggled to track down and turn the appropriate gates -- shutoffs that allow water to be diverted or shut off to certain sections of the system. Many of the 400-odd gates in the city are obsolete and some have trouble functioning.
 
There's also been issues with the mapping system for the gates and the departments have been depending on old maps because the digital ones created in the 1990s are "muddled" said Public Services Commissioner Timothy Lescarbeau.
 
In this case, it turned out the culprit was a line long that removed when the flood control system was installed along River Street. A check on the other side of Marshall Street some years ago related to Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art found concrete in the line. However, there was a section on the east side of the bridge that was still active. 
 
During this time, a number or residences lost water or experienced low water pressure. Although the main ran down River Street, it also affected McCann Technical School and the City Yard on Hodges Cross Road and, to some extent, Walmart. McCann was closed and students at Colegrove Park Elementary reverted to remote education as a precaution.
 
Crews were able to find that old gate and shut off the water. A pressure collar with a rubber gasket was placed on the 140-year-old pipe late Thursday night that successfully closed the leak. 
 
The city also released a fact sheet that stated no water samples have confirmed the presence of bacteria, and the notice is being issued as a precaution.

 

The sheet included:


Massachusetts drinking water standards required public water systems to maintain 20 pounds per square inch (psi) of pressure at each service connection to ensure safe water to our customers. These circumstances warranted advising those customers with discolored water, those who lost service and those whose pressures dropped to below 20 psi to boil their water upon resumption of water service. We determine pressure loss through hydrant pressures at less than 35 psi to have occurred in the following areas: River St., Yale St., Upper Meadow St., Williams St., North St., Cady St., Pitt St., Chesbro Ave., Chase Ave., North Holden St., Dover St., Miner St. WalMart, and McCann Tech.


Loss of pressure can result in backflow of water through and into the distribution system and may result in bacterial contamination. As a result, we advised customers in the affected area to boil their water and MassDEP is requiring the issuance of this public notice as a precautionary measure.

 

The fact sheet also stated :

 

We made repairs in the area and restored water pressure where pressure drops were identified. We maintained chlorine disinfection throughout our distribution system to kill bacteria and viruses that may be present. We will verify adequate pressure and will collect bacteria samples to confirm water quality within the area of concern and elsewhere in our distribution system. We will verify protection of the water system from backflow risks. We will let you know you are no longer advised to boil water due to this incident.

 
A public notice with more detail is available and is being distributed to affected areas. Further notice will be provided when the boil order is lifted. 
 
For more information: please contact Public Services dispatch at 413-664-3047. 
 
The full notice can be found here.
 
Since Wednesday morning, crews have been addressing a 24-inch main that sometime on Tuesday sprung a leak. Homes and businesses in the northern part of the city were most affected.
 

Tags: drinking water,   

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Macksey Updates on Eagle Street Demo and Myriad City Projects

By Tammy DanielsiBerkshires Staff

The back of Moderne Studio in late January. The mayor said the city had begun planning for its removal if the owner could not address the problems. 
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The Moderne Studio building is coming down brick by brick on Eagle Street on the city's dime. 
 
Concerns over the failing structure's proximity to its neighbor — just a few feet — means the demolition underway is taking far longer than usual. It's also been delayed somewhat because of recent high winds and weather. 
 
The city had been making plans for the demolition a month ago because of the deterioration of the building, Mayor Jennifer Macksey told the City Council on Tuesday. The project was accelerated after the back of the 150-year-old structure collapsed on March 5
 
Initial estimates for demolition had been $190,000 to $210,000 and included asbestos removal. Those concerns have since been set aside after testing and the mayor believes that the demolition will be lower because it is not a hazardous site.
 
"We also had a lot of contractors who came to look at it for us to not want to touch it because of the proximity to the next building," she said. "Unfortunately time ran out on that property and we did have the building failure. 
 
"And it's an unfortunate situation. I think most of us who have lived here our whole lives and had our pictures taken there and remember being in the window so, you know, we were really hoping the building could be safe."
 
Macksey said the city had tried working with the owner, who could not find a contractor to demolish the building, "so we found one for him."
 
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