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04/03/2008: "Courthouse Springs A New Leak!"

Water leaking from a joint in a newly installed pipe at the San Juan County Courthouse forced Clerk of the Court Joan White to "take matters into her own hands and set up a "Bucket-A-Potty" (photo left) outside the side steps to the courthouse.

Maintenance employees were required to shut off the water and close off restrooms and drinking fountains in the building again,less than 24 hours after water service had been restored "two days ahead of schedule."

A County maintenance worker said that, unlike the leak that forced the water shutdown last week, the area that requires work is accessible; however because of where the leak occurred, all of the water in the building will have to be drained before the repair can be made.

The leaky joint is not far from the Sheriff’s emergency dispatch center, however it does not appear that water reached any electronic equipment or documents before the leak was discovered. The leak did soak the drywall in the Sheriff’s office and created a sizable water balloon under the latex paint high on the wall near Sheriff Bill Cumming’s desk.

What to do? Well, quick, go out and grab Joan's bucket to catch the leak until they were able to shut off the water.

There is currently no estimate of how long the repair will take, but the contractor that installed the pipe, Northwest Plumbing of Bellingham has promised to have a plumber at the courthouse to work on the problem at noon today. .