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Water main breaks in Jefferson City

JEFFERSON CITY - Although the ground wasn't covered in a blanket of snow, students still woke up to the happy sounds of `no school today'.

At 4:50 Wednesday morning, a 12 inch plastic pipe broke on the corner of Bolivar and Missouri Boulevard. Mike Scheperle, commercial manager for United Water Missouri said the break was weather related. The dry conditions, lack of rainfall and sudden onset of low temperatures contributed to the crack.

United Water Missouri shut off the pipe by 6 a.m. and normal pressure resumed by 8:30 a.m.

"This happened at a bad time," Scheperle said.

Because the break happened early in the morning, all Jefferson City public and parochial schools closed for the day. Roger Kurtz, director of school communications for Jefferson City, said United Water Missouri could not give a definite time of when the water would be restored.

"We can't operate without water," Kurtz said. "It's imperative for restrooms, cooking meals and other activities."

United Water Missouri called the Department of Transportation to salt the roads for a precautionary safety concern. Also as a safety measure, customers who did not have water Wednesday morning were ordered to boil their drinking water for the rest of the day.

Scheperle said approximately 10,500 customers were affected either by low pressure or no water at all.