03/25/2008: "Courthouse Plumbing Springs A Leak"

San Juan County Auditor Milene Henley recently reported to the Council that her office was not in support of the county paying for bottled drinking water, but today that is all there is to drink; or for any other use, as far as that goes.

Water seeping into the basement of the courthouse, and while some documents stored in the area of the leak were soaked, Building and Grounds Manager Bud Sears said that it appears the leak was discovered before any serious damage was done

As a result of the leak, the main water supply to the building has been shut off to stop the flow, and to allow workers to find and fix the leak .

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Sears says that maintenance workers have tracked the problem to the water supply pipe that enters the building under the Sheriff’s department and that accessing the pipe will require either breaking through a concrete floor or a concrete wall. He is hopeful that he may be able to run a small television camera through the pipe to pinpoint the area that is leaking.

In the meantime there is no running water in the Courthouse. The building and maintenance department has provided drinking water and ordered portable toilets for use by employees and visitors to the courthouse. A portable toilet has been set up in a secure area for the one prisoner currently being held in the county jail.

At this point there is no estimate of when water service will be restored.