Just before 10:30 a.m. yesterday morning (Sunday, August 6) a Facebook post from the Joshua Basin Water District announced what many residents and businesses in Joshua Tree already suspected – that the day would bring some troubled waters to the district.
That first post assured everyone the district was aware that a large leak was affecting multiple areas of Joshua Tree and that emergency staff was on site assessing the situation. The first update came a fast hour later with assurances that repairs were in progress as some parts of the district were experiencing low water pressure and others had no water at all.
The next update came about three hours later; it was from General Manager Sarah Johnson who explained that crews were actively repairing a break on a 20-inch main line near the highway and Center Avenue. Water service had been restored to most by this time, although water pressure continued to fluctuate while crews endeavored to repair the large break which was more than 25 feet below ground.
The district’s last update, which came just before 6 p.m., advised ratepayers to expect continued fluctuations as crews continued to negotiate challenging terrain in order to repair the subterranean water line. No word yet on when the repairs might be complete.
