At around 8 p.m.Monday, the City of Douglas received numerous red water complaints, which were centralized in the northeast corner of town.
City officials stated Tuesday that, upon investigation, it was determined that well #4 on McNeil Drive had tripped out. This caused the other wells in the system to come on to compensate for the loss in pumping volume, which also caused the water to change direction of flow, they stated.
“Because of the age of many parts of the distribution system, when water changes direction it can break apart iron build-up inside the pipes, thus causing the water to become discolored”, explained Mike Hudson, City Water & Gas Director.
Shortly after 9 p.m., the well was restored to functional status.
Officials added that, as an added precaution, the City of Douglas flushed hydrants to expel the red water.
City Manager Terrell Jacobs states the City of Douglas apologizes for the temporary problems customers experienced due to the water well being down and is glad that workers were able to restore service in a timely manner.
If customers experience further problems with their water service or any utilities, please contact the City of Douglas Customer Care Center by dialing 3-1-1 or (912) 384-3302.