City works on major water main break in Highland Park

After nearly two days of work, Havre Public Works employees should have water back to a full block of residents in Highland Park this morning, Public Works Director Dave Peterson said today.

Peterson said a water main on the 1200 Block of Cleveland Avenue broke Tuesday night, was repaired, broke again in a differemt spot, was repaired again and broke again in another spot.

Public Works employees this morning had most of that block on Cleveland Avenue dug up, working to make sure it would not break again.

"They're trying to find some good pipe," Peterson said.

He said the people without water - all of the residents on that block - "have been fantastic."

Peterson said the crews have been working almost nonstop and local residents are bringing them water, coffee, rolls and other food as the work goes on.

"We really commend them," he said.

The main was about an hour away from being completely fixed Wednesday evening when the rain hit, Peterson added, and work had to stop as the excavation filled with water.

The crew was back at work this morning, and service was expected to be restored soon, he said.

Peterson said the water mains in Highland Park have been a problem in recent years, with most of the pipe laid in the 1940s and 1950s, and conditions of the soil in the area apparently exacerbating the problem.