Residents of downtown Charlotte Amalie on St. Thomas are waking up to another day without water Thursday as the V.I. Water and Power Authority works to fix a 24-inch water mainline that broke early on Wednesday.
The authority said it hopes to have the problem resolved by Thursday afternoon.
The mainline — located across from Kentucky Fried Chicken on the waterfront — feeds the downtown core. Its malfunction led to numerous government office closures on Wednesday, including Human Services’ Head Start facilities in Savan, Bergs Home, and Sugar Estate, its Knud Hansen Complex in Hospital Ground, and WAPA’s Port of Sale Mall location.
Those facilities will remain closed on Thursday as well as the St. Thomas STRIVE Senior Recreational Center, Human Services announced. Congregate Meals will be home-delivered to clients in the afternoon, it said.
The V.I. Health Department reported Thursday morning that its John Moorehead location that houses the offices of Vital Records and Statistics, Communicable Diseases and Environmental Health will remain closed due to the continued water disruption. Additionally, its Community Health office at Schneider Regional Medical Center will close at noon Thursday due to a malfunctioning air conditioning unit.
WAPA said in a press release early Thursday that its crews were able to successfully complete repairs to the broken pipe late Wednesday afternoon, but then a valve failed.
“Upon completion, water valves were opened to restore water to the district. While restoring pressure to the water system, a faulty water valve neglected to completely open,significantly impacting the flow of water, and resulting in continued little to no water pressure for much of Charlotte Amalie and surrounding areas,” according to the release.
WAPA maintenance crews “are back on site and will begin the necessary excavation to reach the underground valve, followed by repairs to allow normal water passage to resume. Water pressure restoration is anticipated by early afternoon,” it stated.
