On February 23, 2023, at 11:45 a.m., an employee working for a city water department was repairing a leaking 12-inch PVC waterline main valve. The valve was located in a utility vault approximately 5 feet deep. The employee turned off the water to the west of the valve by opening multiple fire hydrants. He and a coworker closed the valve, stopping the water from flowing. The employee did NOT turn the water off on the East side.
The repair work involved repairing or replacing a gasket on the west side of the valve. The employee attempted to tighten the flange, hoping that the gasket would not need replacement. The bolts on the flange were corroded, and he could not remove the lower bolts due to water and sludge in the vault. The employee exited the vault and waited for the vacuum truck to clean out the vault.
