CLARKESVILLE, Ga. — City of Clarkesville utility crews worked Thursday to repair a water main break on Washington Street, with one city employee literally diving into the job to restore service as traffic slowed through the area.
The city alerted residents Thursday afternoon, July 16, that the break occurred on Washington Street between Clarkesville Baptist Church and Walgreens, warning motorists to expect slow-moving traffic and possible lane closures while repairs were underway.
At the scene, Clarkesville Police Chief Danny Clouatre directed traffic around the work zone as city crews excavated the damaged water line.
When asked what caused the break, Clouatre pointed toward the excavation and joked that “the man who knows is currently occupied.”
That man was Joe Deputy, the city’s project manager and utilities and municipal services director.
While other crew members worked around the excavation, Deputy was chest-deep in muddy water inside the hole, fully clothed and personally making repairs to the broken main. The hands-on effort underscored the urgency of restoring the city’s water infrastructure and reopening the roadway as quickly as possible.
Heavy equipment was used to expose the damaged line while crews pumped water from the excavation and worked to complete the repair. One lane of Washington Street remained open, with traffic controlled around the work area.
The city had not announced any widespread water outages or boil water advisories as of Thursday afternoon.
Officials asked motorists to use caution when traveling through the area until repairs are complete.
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