Submitted
The city of Hays is addressing a significant water main break that occurred early Aug. 3 at the intersection of Sixth and Main streets.
The break caused damage to the roadway leading to a road closure.
City staff responded to the incident at about 2:30 a.m. Sunday and successfully isolated the break by shutting off valves.
The water disruption was limited to a single customer, the USD 489 bus barn.
Due to the extent of the damage and limited resources overnight, the decision was made to delay repairs until Sunday night after traffic had diminished.
"The intersection has some serious concerns due to the break and will likely need significant repair," said Jeff Crispin, director of Water Resources for the city of Hays. "Our first priority is getting a new 12-foot-deep manhole installed. We are working with M&D on that now.”
Sixth Street from Fort to Main is currently closed to traffic.
While one lane of Main Street is open, the city anticipates a full closure of Main Street will be necessary to complete the repairs.
Due to the nature of the repair work needed, there is currently no timeline for completion.
“We appreciate the public's patience as we work to resolve this complex situation," Crispin said.
The city will continue to provide updates as more information becomes available.
Residents are encouraged to follow the city of Hays' official social media channels, for the latest information.
County Administration Building
The water main break also resulted in flooding of the Ellis County Administration building's basement.
Darin Myers, county administrator, said repairs are ongoing, but he estimated repairs would take a month to complete.
As a result, Tuesday, Aug. 12 and Aug. 19's, Ellis County Commission meetings will be in the Hays City Commission board room at 1507 Main St.