A gash in a primary pipe along Valparaiso’s 12-inch water main July 22 was caused by a contractor digging as part of an INDOT project along Indiana 2 south of Horse Prairie Avenue.

City officials recently said any damage and costs related to “the massive compromise to the city’s utilities” is the financial responsibility of the subcontractor hired by Rieth Riley Construction.

“This is the biggest break in a water main we’ve ever had in Valparaiso, and from our findings, based on calls from neighborhoods without water or water pressure, it’s safe to say that about 40% of Valparaiso was affected by the water break,” City Services Public Works executive director Steve Poulos said while addressing Valparaiso Mayor Matt Murphy and the Valparaiso City Council.

“The first interruption of service was reported at 11:49 a.m. July 22, and by 1 p.m. we were issuing press releases alerting a boil advisory was in effect, and we’d alerted IDEM before the final repairs and the water was restored that day by 4:30 p.m. By (July 24), we were able to lift the boil advisory.”

Poulos said the water main break resulted in more than a half-million gallons of water lost in the first 40 minutes, causing two of the city’s three water tanks to drop by 8 feet in water levels.

In addition to the Valparaiso University campus, other neighborhoods affected included Aberdeen, Autumn Oaks, Emerald Ridge, Eagle View, Tuscany and Heavilin School, and businesses South of the Grand Trunk Railroad along U.S. 30 and south of U.S. 30.

“Who is responsible for the cost of what occurred,” asked Council member at-large George Douglas, citing the financial consequences following the widespread disruption of utilities and the cost associated with resulting repairs.

Poulos said the contractor who hit the water main is responsible for any costs associated with the water main break and that “the city is currently in discussion with this party.”

Poulos explained the events associated with the city’s response to the water main break emergency also inspired further dialogue about how citizens respond to a water emergency.

“Because we’ve never had anything to this scale happen before, residents also needed to be educated about the appropriate way to handle this type of emergency,” Poulos said.

“It became very clear that many residents were unfamiliar with the difference between a ‘boil advisory’ and a ‘boil order.’ For the record, the city has never had to issue a boil order.”

Poulos said after the city’s water microbiology laboratory conducts testing to assure water passes the required bacteria test levels following any change in pressure. A boil advisory is issued if necessary to recommend all cooking and drinking water be brought to a complete boil for five minutes before use until notification comes from the city following further lab testing to notify it is no longer necessary to boil the water.

A boil order is a mandatory notification of these same measures and only issued if bacteria has been found during water lab testing.

Philip Potempa is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.