HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The City of Hutchinson is asking residents to voluntarily conserve water Monday as utility crews continue repairing multiple water main breaks that disrupted water service and traffic in several parts of the city.
City officials said reducing water use will help lessen demand on the system while crews work to restore service and maintain adequate water pressure.
Residents are encouraged to delay laundry and dishwashing until later in the day, limit outdoor watering, take shorter showers and avoid unnecessary water use by turning off faucets when not in use.
Three water main breaks were reported Monday, affecting East 17th Avenue, 9th Avenue and the area of 2nd Avenue and George Street. Water outages impacted residents along East 17th Avenue between Plum and Elm streets, portions of George Street and 2nd Avenue, and homes along 9th Avenue from Plum Street to Maple Street.
As of a 3:05 p.m. update, water service had been restored to customers along East 17th Avenue and 9th Avenue. Crews continued working to repair the break on George Street, where water service remained interrupted.
Although service has been restored on East 17th Avenue, the roadway between Plum and Elm streets will remain closed until crews complete roadway repairs. Earlier in the day, the intersection of 8th Avenue and Poplar Street, which had been closed because of a downed tree, was reopened.
The city initially estimated repairs would be completed around 4 p.m., but officials said that timeline could change depending on conditions encountered during the work.
Officials thanked residents for their patience as crews continue restoring service and reopening affected streets.