By José Antonio Perez / Shandra Keesecker-Rivero
Though repair work has been continuous throughout the week, nearly all of Puerto Peñasco was left without water on Monday, April 10th after a stretch along the main 30” water line serving the city burst near the intersection of Blvd. Josefa Ortiz de Dominguez, Blvd. Juarez, and the Peñasco-Sonoyta highway. The pipe burst led to flooding of the intersection, which had to be closed until water could be removed.
Jorge Pivac Carrillo, Administrative Director of the Municipal Potable Water Operating Body (OOMAPAS), indicated the burst occurred around 11 p.m. on Sunday evening, April 10th, and OOMAPAS crew set immediately to repairing the site. To do this, most of the city’s wells had to be turned off, impacting nearly 20,000 water connections across the city.
Pivac initially indicated they were unsure as to the cause of the water burst, yet later reports point to a failed gate valve that had to be replaced. The failed valve led to water back up and pressure through the line, meaning a section of the water line also had to be addressed. By Wednesday morning, the city stated water had receded to the point OOMAPAS staff were able to replace the gate valve and would be working to repair the burst pipe. Normal service was expected to resume throughout the city at some point on Wednesday, April 12th.
Pivac Carrillo apologized for inconveniences with the water supply early in the week, noting this was a fortuitous event they have been working around the clock to resolve.
It’s worth recalling the 30” 18 kilometer PVC pipe aqueduct stretching from Ejido López Aceves to Puerto Peñasco was built between 2007 – 2008.