[HollyMutual-Announce] System operation partially restored

[Mark Derbyshire]

All:

To all of those who have written in with 'water reports' - thank you!
This has helped us get a better handle on what is going on.

This past Thursday Colorado Water Well (CWW) reactivated the wells by
isolating out the bad section of pipeline while we await its repair. We
had hopes only two properties would be without water, but a lot more
have since reported they too are without water. We ran into this same
problem a year ago, and there has been an effort ever since to track
down the valve(s) that were causing this. This past Sunday CWW
successfully opened another suspect valve, but it appears to have
accomplished nothing.

The root of the problem is the fact that we simply don't have an
accurate map of the Holly Mutual pipeline. My understanding is when CWW
took over well maintenance long ago, the original construction
documentation from the 1950s was nowhere to be found. They have been
trying to piece together a map ever since. Until yesterday our belief
was the Holly Mutual pipeline was mostly a giant loop fed from the two
wells. That meant we should be able to isolate a broken section of pipe
and continue servicing everyone else. But that hasn't turned out to be
the case.

CWW and I have been conferring since yesterday, trying to understand how
much the actual pipeline may diverge from our 'loop' theory. We're well
aware there are likely some, if not many, isolation valves buried under
the ground that we simply don't know about, as we discover additional
ones from time to time. We haven't given up trying to solve this
mystery, but we don't have many leads.

At the same time we're still pushing forward with the repairs. As I've
indicated before, this is a more complex and potentially costly repair
than is typical. One solution we're considering is installing a new run
of pipe so it is no longer under the street. Unfortunately such
complications and the height of the excavation season are continuing to
slow our progress.

I know the above does not provide any answers to the questions and
concerns some of you have submitted, but I wanted to better outline what
is happening. As I get more concrete information, I will pass it on.

Cheers,
Mark Derbyshire