Granite Shoals could fix pump by Aug. 1
The Granite Shoals water system should return to full power by Tuesday, Aug. 1, according to officials. The city implemented Stage 3 mandatory water restrictions for its residents on July 20 after a catastrophic pump failure crippled the system on July 19.
Once repairs are completed, the city is expected to ease off of the restrictions.
The system is currently running on a single pump, which could become overworked and overloaded if water use is not decreased. Residents are asked to follow the mandatory restrictions from the city’s Stage 3 Drought Contingency Plan until everything is back up to speed.
The water system’s problems started with a lightning strike in June that killed one of the pumps and severely damaged another, Utilities Superintendent Josh Hisey told DailyTrib.com. Hisey and his crew managed to keep the remaining pump working while a new one was ordered to replace the fried one.
“When (the failure) happened last time, it took out the number two pump, but the number one pump also exhibited electrical issues,” he said. “We repaired the pump to where it would stay online, but it wore its motor out. With the heat every day, it just overloaded the motor and got hotter and hotter until the bearings and seals gave out.”
After repairs, Granite Shoals will have two fully functioning pumps and two backup pumps to help prevent future catastrophes.
Call the city at 830-598-2424 for questions about current mandatory water use restrictions.