CHAPIN, S.C. — The water is back on in Chapin, hours after a broken water main caused some people to wake up without water on the July 4 holiday.
The break occurred early Thursday morning, and service was restored later in the afternoon. As a precaution, a boil water advisory is in effect for the entire Chapin water system, meaning people should boil their water for one minute before drinking or cooking.
The problem led to an unexpected jolt for people getting a start on their holiday plans.
"We have family and friends coming over so it's been a little bit of an inconvenience trying to find water and getting jugs out of the garage," said Chapin resident Michelle Jowers.
Jowers and her family woke up early on July 4 to prepare for a holiday gathering, only to discover a water shortage.
"I went to fill my Stanley up for the day, and I was like, 'Oh my gosh, did I leave the pool hose running to fill up the pool?" So then I panicked. And then we started to turn on all the faucets and started to realize I think the water is out," Jowers said.
According to Chapin Utilities Public Works Director Rick Bryan, the problem stemmed from a rupture in a 12-inch water line that supplies Chapin's water from Columbia.
"We got a first alarm at about 7:37 this morning and then we responded to it to try to find the issue. It wasn't too hard to find because when this break happened it was a large break," Bryan said.
Bryan said he believes the break occurred because a large rock caused friction against the pipe, exacerbated by the ongoing heat shifting the ground.
"We are going to issue the boil water notice out of an abundance of precaution to make sure no one is affected by any contaminants that may have gotten in the line," Bryan assured.
Despite the inconvenience, Jowers expressed gratitude for the utility workers' efforts on a holiday.
"I'm very grateful, they said it's going to be back on in a couple hours so I'm very grateful, very appreciative for them," Jowers said.
Chapin Utilities restored water to all residents by approximately 4 p.m. after sealing and repairing the break. However, a boil water advisory remains in effect until lab tests confirm the water is safe.
Chapin is also under water restrictions that are unrelated to this break. Due to high water demands from the summer heat, people are asked to conserve water between 4:30 a.m. and 9:30 a.m.