Large break on 20-inch water main impacts all of southern Arkansas City

ARKANSAS CITY, Kan. (October 26, 2020) — Effective immediately, the City of Arkansas City is implementing Stage 1 of its Municipal Water Conservation Plan, which will stay in effect indefinitely.

The public is asked to curtail outdoor water use and to make efficient use of indoor water, such as by washing full loads of laundry, taking short showers, not letting faucets run endlessly and so forth.

On Sunday, the City observed a notable drop in water reserves in its Bryant Road standpipe.

This was due to a combination of a fire being battled Sunday by the Arkansas City Fire-EMS Department and a substantial break in a 20-inch water main near the old high-service pump station, which is out of service, at the old water treatment plant, which has since been demolished.

The areas most impacted by this disruption are located south of Madison Avenue, including ADM Milling, KanPak and Sleeth Addition. The City is aware of loss of pressure in these areas and has been redistributing water through the overall system as best as it can to supply better service there.

Specialized crews have been contacted to assist with pumping down water at the site of the main break so the Environmental Services Department can better diagnose the scope of the main break. The inclement weather currently ongoing in the Arkansas City has contributed to hampering these efforts.

“Thank you for your cooperation and patience during this service disruption,” said Environmental Services Superintendent Rod Philo. “We know it is an inconvenience to conserve water and to experience loss of pressure, but please be assured we are working diligently to address the situation.”

About the Municipal Conservation Plan for the City of Arkansas City

The City of Arkansas City addresses its short-term water shortage problems through a series of stages based on conditions of supply and demand with accompanying triggers, goals and actions.

Each stage is more stringent in water use than the previous stage. The City Manager is authorized by ordinance to implement the appropriate conservation measures in Arkansas City as needed.