Merrimon Ave Water Main Break 03/24/2026
On March 24, 2024, at approximately 12:30 p.m., a member of the Woodfin Water Distribution team noticed water seeping from a bank into a creek near Merrimon Avenue. Crews responded right away, confirmed a significant leak, and began exploratory digging at approximately 1:30 p.m.
Once the pipe was exposed, crews found a circular break on a six-inch transmission main. The leak was estimated at approximately 100 to 150 gallons per minute. During excavation, crews also discovered three fiber-optic cables and a natural gas transmission line located only inches above and beside the water main making digging with an excavator extremely difficult and potentially hazardous.
While leaks like this can sometimes be repaired without shutting off water service, several unusual circumstances made that impossible in this case and required the District to temporarily shut off water to the Woodfin/Asheville pressure zone.
First, the amount of water and pressure coming from the break made it unsafe and impractical to install a repair clamp while the line remained in service. Crews first tried reducing the pressure by flushing a nearby fire hydrant, but that did not lower it enough to allow the repair to proceed. In addition, the volume of water entering the work area was greater than our portable pump could manage.
Second, there were no strategically located valves nearby that would have allowed crews to isolate only the damaged section of pipe. Because of that, a larger area had to be taken out of service in order to complete the repair. Improving valve placement in areas like this is something the District is evaluating as part of its capital improvement planning.
Finally, the repair itself was made more difficult by the location of the fiber-optic cables and gas line directly above the water main. Large rocks on top of, beside, and beneath those utilities had to be removed carefully so crews could safely access the pipe and install the clamp.
After the initial repair was completed, a second leak developed on the same line at a nearby location. Crews then had to repeat the excavation and repair process a second time. Due to these combined challenges, repairs were not fully completed and water service was not restored until approximately 11:00 p.m.
We appreciate our customers’ patience and understanding while our crews worked to safely complete these repairs and restore service as quickly as possible.
