Recent water problems around Missouri Valley did not all have the same cause. The August 4 Public Works update explained which incidents involved city mains, which involved individual service lines, and why homeowners may be responsible for some repairs. Officials also confirmed PeopleService will pay for damage caused while its employees were preparing valves for another water project.
After weeks of water disruptions around Missouri Valley, the August 4 City Council meeting provided additional information about what had been happening below the streets and who was responsible for the repairs.
During the Public Works update, city officials said there had been four recent water incidents. Only one was identified as a city water main break. The other three were described as problems involving individual water service lines.
The distinction matters because city officials told the council that the city is responsible for the water main, while the service line running from the main toward an individual property is generally considered the property owner’s responsibility. Officials also acknowledged that when water begins surfacing, it may not immediately be clear whether the failure involves the city main or an individual service line.
Recent Water Problems Had Different Causes
Public Works walked through several of the recent incidents.
At 7th and Erie, the city brought in traffic control and Southwest Iowa Leak Detectors. Crews eventually discovered an old service line running across the street. Officials said no one knew who the line originally served and that it appeared to have been slowly leaking for some time before being shut off.
Another incident near Park Street across from the dog park involved a plastic service line to a vacant property. According to the update, a saddle connection had deteriorated and fallen apart, causing water to shoot upward.
Another repair involved an older service connection that was made worse during excavation when old concrete shifted and struck the line. The discussion included the benefits of using more precise excavation methods to expose water lines before digging around aging infrastructure.
City Encourages Residents to Consider Service Line Coverage
The recent failures also led to discussion about insurance or warranty coverage for private water and sewer service lines.
Public Works said residents had been asking about coverage because repairs between the water main and a home can become the homeowner’s financial responsibility. Officials suggested putting additional information on the city website so homeowners better understand that potential expense and the coverage available to them.
The discussion also touched on older lead service connections, including what was described as a lead “gooseneck” that had split. Officials warned that Missouri Valley could see additional failures as older infrastructure continues to age.
Residents were also cautioned to understand the requirements of any service line protection plan before hiring someone to make a repair, since some plans may have procedures or preferred contractors that must be followed for a claim to be covered.
PeopleService Breaks Curb Stop While Preparing for Water Work
A separate incident discussed during the update involved PeopleService, the company contracted to operate Missouri Valley’s water system.
Public Works said PeopleService was preparing for an upcoming water shutdown connected to work on 7th Street. Employees were operating, or “massaging,” valves ahead of the planned repair to make sure they would function when needed.
During that process, a curb stop serving a nearby property was broken, requiring excavation and additional repairs.
Officials said water service to the affected property was restored that night, but another valve had to be ordered and installed.
PeopleService Will Be Responsible for the Cost
Council members then asked directly who would pay for the damage. City officials confirmed that PeopleService would be responsible for the costs associated with the incident.
The council specifically asked whether that responsibility also included repairing the roadway that had been opened during the work.
The answer was yes.
“That does include PeopleService paying for the road to be fixed. Correct?”
Officials responded, “Correct.”
The city also clarified that PeopleService had not been specifically directed by the city to operate that particular valve at that moment, although exercising the valves was described as part of the work PeopleService performs on the system.
Aging Infrastructure, but Different Responsibilities
The August 4 update helped separate several issues that can look the same from above ground.
A pool of water in the street may originate from a city water main, an abandoned service line, a private service connection or damage that occurs while someone is working on the system.
Who ultimately pays can depend on what failed and why.
In this case, the city said three of the four recent incidents involved service lines rather than city mains. But when PeopleService damaged a curb stop while preparing for other water work, officials confirmed the contractor, not the affected property owner or the city, would be responsible for the resulting repair costs and road restoration.
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