Oskaloosa’s Water Safe To Drink

Fire hydrants are used for flushing out city water lines. (file photo)

Oskaloosa, Iowa – A water transmission line from the Oskaloosa water plant north of town started to leak, and crews worked for over 8 hours to plug the leak in the 20 inch pipe.

Oskaloosa Municipal Water Department General Manager Chad Coon said that the water is safe to drink and that the discoloration that is impacting residents is because of the extra volume of water being pressed through the other 2 lines that feed water to town.

“There was always positive pressure on the line,” said Coon. This means that mud or other contaminants were not pulled into the water system during the break.

As crews put tools away from that major break, another line broke, causing weary crews to once again brave the cold and wet conditions to seal the leak. This was the third such line break in the past week.

Water line breaks, such as these, are more common as the weather gets colder and the frost level drives deeper into the ground.