Water system issues plague Onancock

Pictured: Onancock maintenance crew work on the smallest of three leaks in a pipe running across the Ames Street Bridge on Sunday afternoon.

Onancock’s water system is facing significant disruptions due to a major leak in the town’s infrastructure. The problem stems from a deteriorating pipe under the Ames Street Bridge, which has caused a loss of water pressure throughout the town.

According to Town Manager Matt Spuck, years ago, the town replaced the old cast iron pipes with new PVC lines, but during the project, some original water valves were reused, and others added. This has complicated efforts to manage water flow, making it difficult to isolate issues when they arise. As a result, when the town tried to address the problem, it was unclear which valves controlled specific parts of the system.

The water tower, which holds 300,000 gallons, is crucial for maintaining pressure. The feed pipe up to the tower’s bowl is 111 feet. Above 111 feet, water pressure is created as the bowl fills. When the town uses a lot of water, the bowl empties but cannot go below 111 feet. If the water level drops below 111 feet, pressure is lost, as happened when the leak drained the tower.

The burst pipe under the Ames Street Bridge, which had rusted and cracked in three places, caused a significant reduction in the water supply. The leak pictured above is the smallest of the three discovered, yet it was still enough to drain the tower to its critical level and cause a complete loss of water pressure.

Surprisingly, despite the town having replaced this pipe long ago, the valves on each end of the bridge do not disconnect the system as expected, which has complicated efforts to isolate and repair the issue.

In response, maintenance workers will cap both ends of the compromised pipe to restore normal water flow. However, this necessary repair will require a town-wide shutdown or pressure reduction. Residents are urged to keep an eye on their emails and text messages for updated information as the work progresses.

To tackle this issue, five town workers gave up their Sunday to begin the repairs. The town is working as quickly as possible to minimize disruptions, though residents can expect some temporary pressure reductions during the process and thanks everyone for their patience as the repairs continue.