Northampton water main leak remains puzzle

By Owen Boss

Staff Writer

NORTHAMPTON - Members of the city's Department of Public Works are still looking for the sources of a water main break that revealed itself near the intersection of State and Main streets Wednesday.

According to Water Department Superintendent David Sparks, the leak was first noticed Wednesday afternoon by a pedestrian on Main Street.

"Our problem at the moment is that it is a very small water leak and it is very difficult to pinpoint where exactly the leak is coming from, when there is frost in the ground," Sparks said.

In an attempt to locate the leak, a DPW crew dug a large hole in the middle of the intersection Wednesday night, but was unable to locate the source.

While they did not locate the break, Sparks said the crew found that the water flowing under the intersection is dissipating, which usually means it is moving to a drainage pipe or into the sewer system.

The hole on Main Street has since been blacktopped over, Sparks said, and crews will return to the area again tonight, this time with acoustic equipment specially made for situations such as this.

"We are going to go in and use a leak correlator tonight, which is a device that uses acoustics to pinpoint the exact location where this pipe is leaking," said Sparks.

Sparks said once the leak is found, it shouldn't take long to repair.

"If this was the summertime, we would be able to locate it much quicker, but the frost is making it much more difficult," said Sparks.

"We are very efficient once we find the leak, and we are good at fixing these kinds of problems."

Owen Boss can be reached at oboss@gazettenet.com.