City: Water levels improving, still working overtime

A break in a sprinkler line related to subfreezing temperatures caused minor flooding in the Hot Springs Convention Center on Friday. - Photo by Lance Brownfield of The Sentinel-Record
A break in a sprinkler line related to subfreezing temperatures caused minor flooding in the Hot Springs Convention Center on Friday. - Photo by Lance Brownfield of The Sentinel-Record

While the circumstances are improving, Hot Springs' water system is still working at high levels to keep water flowing at a consistent pressure, the city manager said Tuesday.

The amount of water that is being lost has been reduced, but distribution plants are producing the maximum amount of water possible.

"We gained some ground again (Monday) night," Hot Springs City Manager Bill Burrough said Tuesday. "We're in better shape today than we have been since we started. We still have both plants running at maximum output. We'll do that until we see that we can hold in the tanks."

Burrough said there were still hundreds of leaks Tuesday morning, but crews worked throughout the day to shut them off.

"We still had several hundred leaks (Tuesday) morning when I checked the report," he said. "We've had crews out all day and overnight turning off those leaks."

While most of the leaks have been on the residential side of the system, Burrough said there have been several commercial customers with issues, as well.

"We've heard from several businesses that had sprinkler line breaks, something of that nature, but most of them are on the residential side," he said.

Burrough said the temperatures are supposed to improve later in the week, but temperatures were expected to dip below freezing Tuesday night.

"We still have some cold weather to come," he said. "We just hope that we don't have any more burst, but right now we're in pretty good shape. ... Thursday we're going to be in some higher temperatures with no worries at all. But it's still going to take some people time, I think, to get to the leaks that are on their side of the line."

With crews working around the clock over the holiday weekend, Burrough was glad to see a bit of a reprieve Tuesday.

"We're in much better shape today than we have been," he said. "Honestly, when we needed it. Our staff that's been working last three or four days. I mean, they're exhausted."

Burrough said residential or commercial customers who have leaks and are unable to turn off the water themselves can call the 24/7 Utilities Emergency Hotline at 501-321-6200.

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