Published: June 09, 2009 10:49 pm      

Faulty valve causes break

ASHLAND — Much of Ashland lost water pressure Tuesday after a valve near the city water plant broke, said public works director Marion Russell.

The break, which was repaired by mid-afternoon, affected neighborhoods on both sides of Blackburn Avenue and reached into Westwood.

Ashland Community and Technical College closed both its Ashland and Summit campuses at noon because of the break, according to an e-mailed news release.

The break was repaired by 3 p.m. but pressure remained low.

“We lost a lot of water. It will take a while for everything to balance out,” Russell said.

The break forced some restaurants and other businesses to close for a short time, said Angela Mosley, a spokeswoman for the Ashland-Boyd County Health Department.

The closures were mandated under state regulations, which also require businesses to follow strict procedures for sanitizing and use of water after the supply is restored.

The health department has the regulations posted on its Web site, www.abchealthdepartment.com, and information can be obtained by calling at (606) 324-7213.

The valve blew out Monday afternoon on a 4-inch line that is a bypass to a 24-inch line, Russell said. The high pressure on the line made it difficult for workers to isolate the break.

MIKE JAMES can be reached at mjames@dailyindependent.com or at (606) 326-2652.