Water pipe rupture in Flamingo Heights fixed quickly with help from “good neighbors”

Last Tuesday (8/11), an old, 8 inch steel water pipe ruptured in the vicinity of Starlight road and Highway 247 in Flamingo Heights, right by Hero’s market. Thousands of gallons escaped before California Highway Patrol (CHP) arrived first on scene just about 2:00 p.m. Bighorn-Desert View Water Agency and High Desert Water District put out a call for “Mutual Aid” and between the two water agencies, Caltrans and CHP, about a dozen people worked on locating the leak and directing traffic down to just one lane.

While there appeared to be a maze of old pipes, the leaking one was located and it was ascertained that it serviced a fire hydrant which was no longer in use. Fortunately, the leaking pipe did not supply customers and no-one lost water or pressure. By late evening on Tuesday the leak had been capped and fixed so work could begin on cleaning up the road.

General Manager of Bighorn-Desert View Water Agency Jennifer Cusack attributed the quick work and co-operation among the agencies involved to “one of the benefits of having good neighbors”.