By KRWG News
Silver City – Silver City's utilities director says a leak in a transmission line cost the southwestern New Mexico community 3 million gallons of water.
But Robert Esqueda tells the Town Council measures have been taken so crews can respond faster to such leaks in the future.
Esqueda says that when the city's new control system found that water tanks were full Saturday, it shut down a valve to them, causing a shock wave that slammed back through the pipe.
He says there was a weak point in the line over an open pit where the water blew out a coupling.
Downtown Silver City residents began complaining about low water pressure, and water crews discovered three 1-million-gallon tanks were suddenly low on water.
Esqueda says crews then found and repaired the leak.
___
Information from: Las Cruces Sun-News, http://www.lcsun-news.com
Copyright 2010 The Associated Press.