Leak leaves south Libby residents without water

City Administrator Samuel Sikes said a major water leak left residents on the south side of Libby without water earlier this week.

Located between Reese Court and Bowen Hill Road, the broken stretch of pipe was so severe pumps at the city’s water plant were temporarily shut down Dec. 20, Sikes said. Valves back at the city’s water plant began sticking, he said.

Sikes described the repair work while giving his regular report to Libby City Council that same evening. City workers coordinated with Flathead Electric Cooperative as they dug to reach the breach, he said.

Ultimately, residents in the area went without running water for about two hours, Sikes told city councilors.

“That was kind of a little snafu,” he said of the leak.

The repair work served as an orientation of sorts for Travis Breiland, the city’s latest hire, Sikes said. With 20 years of truck driving experience, Breiland is a welcome addition to City Hall, he said. Along with working the water leak, Breiland also pitched in with clearing snow from the city’s roads this past weekend, according to Sikes.