WATER LINE BREAK

The Applied Technology building remains without running water this week, after an underground water line broke on Feb. 16 near Building 14.

Public Safety officer Jason Bickell found the initial signs of a leak at around 5:27 p.m. Water from the main walkway between Applied Technology (Building 18) and the main Academic Center was flowing down the steps and along lower walkways.

This led to the entire water system on campus being shut down. MHCC Facilities staff were able to stop the flow by approximately midnight on Saturday, with Lead Operating Engineer Jim Bowness able to cut off water only to the affected area by shutting off a valve nearby.

According to Bowness, who has worked at the college for 20 years, it’s likely the break occurred where the main water line and the cooling line intersect. The cooling line is the chilled water carried from the Academic Center to Applied Technology, for cooling rooms and offices there.

The situation is still being analyzed. The college does not know the exact cause, location or extent of the break.

Mt. Hood will have leak detectors brought in Friday morning (Feb. 22) to locate the break. The college will also be looking to solicit bids to hire a contractor to dig up the area to replace the pipe, sanitize it (because drinking water is sourced from the pipe), and fill in the area. 

Luckily there was no damage to the Applied Technology building. Public Safety Manager Wayne Feagle said the exterior door frame to the building was just high enough for the leaking water not to enter.

The situation could have been much worse: Had the water gotten inside, there could have been electrical damage.

For now, students and staff in the Applied Technology building are using porta potties and handwashing stations outside to meet health and safety needs. Two portable eyewash stations are set up in IT18 and IT5.

Cory Sippel, MHCC manager of environmental health and safety, said of the affected classroom/work areas, “They are still maintaining their fire/safety provisions with the fire extinguishers, pull stations, fire alarms, smoke detectors, and none of those were affected.” The area also has fire sprinklers in place, which are now pressurized. Bowness said the sprinkler system for Applied Technology is separate from the water line that was shut off.

Coincidentally, on Thursday at 9:06 a.m. students and staff had to evacuate the building after a roll-up door motor overheated, setting off a fire alarm. Students and staff were allowed to re-enter at 9:26 a.m once the building was determined safe. After the morning alarm, Sipple confirmed the sprinkler system in the building was fully pressurized.

As far as water quality across the MHCC campus, Facilities workers will be monitoring water periodically. Any brown coloration would be due to sediment from the iron pipes in place. There will likely be no repeat issues, since the main reason why that occurred was due to the initial campuswide shutdown. The change in pressure made the sediment move, so it needed to be flushed out and stabilized.

The Advocate will continue to report on this incident as it develops.