City Manager Encourages Water Customers To Keep Reporting Major Water Leaks To Help Fix Issues, Fill Towers, Claim Reward
The City of Sulphur Springs announced Saturday night water rewards of 1 million gallons of free water is offered for the first person who calls in any major water break by 7:08 p.m. Sunday. As of 8:20 a.m. Sunday, 3 city leaks had been found and 3 water rewards claimed.
The reward is offered in an effort to head off water breaks and make sure the city continues to have a sufficient supply of water. The water supply in the city’s water towers, Maxwell explained Saturday night, was low.
“We are trying to head off water breaks before, they become a problem. Between our water breaks and water supply corporations water breaks, we are losing water faster than we can pump it into the towers. That is not a sustainable situation. We are investigating use of water supply corporations and will turn them off if there are problems,” Maxwell said when announcing the water reward for found major leaks. “We have water and are trying to keep it that way.”
The city turned off North Hopkins Water Supply Corp.’s water at 9 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 20, as the rural water supplier had very low water pressure, until the source of leak was found.
The first confirmed report was on Church Street at California Street. The offer remains good to the first person to report any other major water break discovered in Sulphur Springs through 7:08 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 21. At 8:30 a.m. Sunday, Maxwell reported two additional “winners” of the 1 million gallons of water reward, meaning two additional city water leaks had been found.
Between finding the 3 water leaks and temporarily ceasing pumping to NHWSC, the efforts were working, Maxwell reported around 8:20 a.m. Sunday. Sulphur Springs’ water towers had filled 2/3 of the way full. The city turned NHWSC’s water back on around 4:30 a.m;. Sunday, Feb. 21, but noted it will be turned off again if the leak in North Hopkins system isn’t found.
Maxwell encourages city water customers to keep watching for and reporting any major leaks they find. No only doing so ensure the towers fill to provide sufficient water to city residents but the city will continue to offer the 1 million gallon reward through 7:08 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 21, 2021.
“We define a major water break as any break on a city water main not a service lateral unless that lateral is four inches or greater in diameter. Any person who spots a leak should call 903-885-7602 and press 1 for dispatch. This means that a person’s or business’ water will be free until they reach the 1 million gallon mark,” Maxwell said.
While the offer does not apply to sanitation fees, it may also be applied it sewer fees on a gallon for gallon basis if the customer wishes up to a total of 1 million gallons for water and sewer combined.
“This reward applies to each and every major water break that occurs in the City of Sulphur Springs City limits during the next 24 hours beginning tonight, Feb 20, at 7:08 pm. It only applies to the first person who calls in each break,” Maxwell stated.
