The Chesterburgh Public Works Department reported a significant failure in the town’s water supply system on April 15th, resulting in a temporary disruption of potable water for approximately 2,400 residents across three neighborhoods. According to an official statement released at 08:45 a.m. that morning, a main water transmission line ruptured near the intersection of Elm Street and Maple Avenue, causing a drop in water pressure and contamination risks.

The first alert came in at 07:29 a.m. from a resident calling 911 to report cloudy water and reduced pressure in the Old Mill district. Chesterburgh Emergency Services dispatched Public Works technicians to the site by 07:42 a.m., who confirmed a break in the 24-inch transmission main installed over 40 years ago. The department’s maintenance logs indicate the pipe was last inspected in October 2023, with no defects noted at the time.

Water Superintendent Carl Edwards stated during a 10:15 a.m. press briefing that crews had isolated the damaged section by 09:05 a.m., rerouted flows using secondary mains, and activated mobile water treatment units to maintain supply. “Our top priority is maintaining safe, reliable water service. We ask all residents in affected areas to boil water for consumption until further notice,” Edwards said.

Public Works Director Linda Morales provided additional details regarding the scope of the outage. “Neighborhoods impacted include Old Mill, Riverside, and parts of West Chesterburgh, totaling roughly 2,400 customers. Service restoration depends on completing pipe replacement and water quality testing, procedures expected to take no more than 48 hours under current estimates.”

Several local businesses immediately felt the impact. The Riverside Diner reported suspending meal preparation involving water by 08:15 a.m., citing health department guidelines. At 09:30 a.m., the Chesterburgh Community Hospital notified patients and staff of precautionary measures, including using bottled water for medical equipment sterilization until municipal supply resumed.

Chesterburgh Fire Chief Robert Hayes outlined operational adjustments during the incident. “Our crews conducted additional equipment checks to ensure fire hydrants in the affected zones were functional despite pressure fluctuations. We coordinated with Public Works to monitor real-time system status.”

Emergency Services Coordinator Diane Long confirmed no 911 call delays occurred during the event but acknowledged resource strains due to increased service requests related to water safety concerns. “We handled an uptick in non-emergency calls for information between 07:30 a.m. and 10:00 a.m., which staff managed without compromising urgent response capabilities.”

Resident complaints began surfacing on social media by mid-morning, with reports of discolored water and low pressure. Nevertheless, the town’s official Twitter feed emphasized verified updates and directed citizens to the Public Works hotline at (555) 672-2140. As of 2:00 p.m., at least 150 calls had been logged concerning water quality and outage durations.

The Chesterburgh Ledger obtained copies of last year’s Public Works budget documents showing a 12 percent cut to pipeline maintenance funds. The cuts were part of a wider effort to trim municipal spending amid revenue shortfalls noted in the March 2023 financial report. Critics argue deferred maintenance on aging infrastructure contributed to the rupture.

City Council Member Helen Markham, chair of the Infrastructure Committee, responded in a written statement at noon: “We will conduct an immediate review of current maintenance protocols and budget allocations related to water infrastructure. The safety of Chesterburgh residents remains paramount.” Council is scheduled to convene an emergency session on April 17th to discuss long-term strategies and funding.

Historical records from the Chesterburgh Wate