On Saturday, August 26th, the Public Works & Utilities Department discovered a significant leak on a 24-inch water transmission main in west Port Angeles. The affected water main serves as the connection between the City’s Water Treatment Facility and its reservoirs.
City crews have investigated the leak, located along the Olympic Discovery Trail between 18th Street and Casey Way, and secured a local contractor to make repairs on Sunday, August 27th. As of Saturday afternoon, the water main is leaking at approximately 150 gallons per minute.
On Sunday, the affected water line will be shut down midday for excavation and repairs. Prior to this work, the City of Port Angeles will ensure its water reservoirs are full. Once the water main has been isolated, the reservoirs cannot be filled again until repairs are complete.
To conserve the reservoir supply, the City is urging residents to limit water usage. Non-essential water uses, such as irrigation, filling of swimming pools, washing of cars, and pressure washing, are strongly discouraged. Repairs are expected to be complete on Sunday evening. Once this occurs, the water main will be flushed, disinfected, and water samples tested to ensure safety. Should reservoir levels drop to a critical range, the City will be required to put the water main into service before sample results have been obtained. If this occurs, a precautionary Boil Water Advisory will be issued, requiring City residents to use boiled tap water or bottled water for drinking, cooking, making ice and brushing teeth.
We apologize for the inconvenience and thank you for your cooperation. The City is working to address this issue as quickly as possible; updates will be posted to the City’s website and Facebook page as soon as they are available. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact the Public Works & Utilities Department at (360) 417-4800 or email publicworks@cityofpa.us. On weekends and after 5 p.m., please contact our after-hours answering service at (360) 417-2736.