Council Gets Debrief Over Water Main Break

The City's Top Administrator spends 40 minutes discussing and answering questions about Friday's event.

Faced with a fairly short legislative agenda, it was anticipated that Friday’s water main break would take center stage as a topic of dicsussion. And giving credit where credit is due, the City’s Top Administrator provided a strong explanation of the water main break, as well as the thinking behind the city administration’s response to the events as they unfolded.

Water main breaks, by their nature, are disruptive events, and unfortunately are not uncommon. However, given the immense size of the line, as well as the desire to isolate the water main break, while keeping the city’s water system operational, Friday’s main break was not a run-of-the-mill water main break. It’s completely fair to say that this incident showcased both the city's preparedness and the areas where improvements could be made, particularly in communication strategies.

The event began when staff at the water treatment plant discovered a major break in front of the facility around 1:30 PM. The city's SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition) system played a crucial role in early detection, alerting staff to a significant drop in pressure; underscoring the importance of investing in modern monitoring technologies for critical infrastructure. The complexity of the water distribution system became apparent as crews worked to isolate the leak. With multiple large-diameter pipes leaving the plant in close proximity, pinpointing the exact location of the break proved challenging.

It took until approximately 9:30 PM to locate the valve that could shut off the leak, which was unexpectedly found at Community Park, about a mile away from the plant. This revelation highlights the importance of maintaining accurate and up-to-date maps of utility infrastructure, as well as the value of institutional knowledge held by long-time employees.

The water main break affected approximately 7,500 residents northeast of the river, leaving them without water service. The city's response included pumping water from the leak site for three hours to access and repair the damaged pipe. By 3:15 AM on Saturday, the leak was fixed, and water service was restored. Utility crews then spent much of Saturday flushing hydrants to clear air and sediment from the system.

One of the most critical aspects of the incident was the decision to issue a boil water advisory. Initially limited to the affected northeast area, the advisory was later expanded citywide due to concerns about water pressure in other parts of the system. This decision-making process was very complex and there mutliple considerations involved in ensuring public health and safety during water emergencies, as well as knowing there would be economic consequences to any decision that was made. In the end, the decision was made to err on the side of caution and announce a city-wide boil advisory.

The city's communication strategy during the event revealed both strengths and weaknesses. While officials followed their normal protocols for notifying high-volume users, schools, and neighboring jurisdictions, there were issues with broader public communication. A technical glitch apparently prevented the initial boil water advisory from being disseminated as intended at 6:30 PM on Friday. This highlights the critical importance of redundant communication systems and the need for verification processes to ensure important public safety messages are successfully transmitted.

Futher complicating the situation was the city's decision to discontinue its use of a reverse 911-style notification system several years ago due to perceived ineffectiveness. While the city relied on website updates, social media posts, and traditional media outlets to spread information, the incident has prompted a reevaluation of communication strategies. It was announced that the city administration is now considering the potential use of the county's emergency management system for future incidents.

Throughout the event, the city’s top administrator stated that city staff demonstrated professionalism and dedication, working long hours to resolve the issue and minimize disruption to residents. The director's account emphasizes the coordination between various city departments and external agencies, including the EPA, which reportedly commended the city's handling of the incident.

The water main break also highlighted the interconnected nature of regional water systems, as neighboring communities like West Milton and Miami County had to make their own decisions about issuing boil water advisories based on Troy's situation. Out of an abundance of caution, West Milton issued a boil advisory. Citing that waterline pressure never fell below standards, the county never issued an advisory. This underscores the importance of clear communication and coordination between adjacent water systems during emergencies.

In the aftermath of the incident, the city is conducting a thorough review of its response and communication procedures. This includes exploring new technologies and methods for public notification, as well as potential updates to the city's website to improve emergency communications.

The director's detailed account of the water main break and subsequent snow event demonstrates the multifaceted challenges faced by municipal leaders. From managing complex infrastructure systems to making rapid decisions about public safety and effectively communicating with residents, the incident serves as a case study in crisis management at the local government level.

Moving forward, the City has an opportunity to learn from this experience and enhance its emergency response capabilities. By addressing the communication gaps identified during this event, investing in infrastructure maintenance and monitoring, and continuing to foster a culture of preparedness among city staff, Troy can improve its resilience to future infrastructure challenges.

Overall, the quality and length of the discussion provided by the city’s administration was a welcome change from previous communication attempts; the discussion was comprehensive and clear, the hard work of front line crews was rightfully applauded and opporutnities for improvement were candidly discussed. Most importantly, there was no point trying to be proved, there was no narrative that was being drilled into the audience; just a frank discussion of what happened.

Ultimately, the water main break incident in Troy illustrates the critical importance of robust emergency response plans, effective communication strategies, and the dedication of public servants in maintaining essential services and protecting public health.

Hopefully our community does not have to deal with a water main break of this size and magnitude in a very long time. But, of course, things happen. There will be a time when this city is tested for prompt and clear emergency response. Last Friday presented a real learning opporutnity for the community and it appeared at least some in City Hall took note.

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