BERNIE, Mo. -- The city was without water from about 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday when city water department workers finally fixed a valve on a water main. The valve malfunctioned when the city utility department was hooking a water line from the new sewer treatment plant to city water.
According to city officials, the shut-off valve began to leak when the city was making the connection, and then completely failed. Water to most residents in Bernie was cut off around 9 a.m. Some residents in the northwest area were unaffected.
The utility department worked on the problem and brought the system back up around 3:30 p.m., but leaks were found in the line. Repairs continued after the system was shut down. Another attempt to restore water service around 6 p.m. failed when a T-valve began letting water escape, according to officials.
Water service to all parts of the city was restored at approximately 9 p.m.
No boil order was issued for water usage since the breaks were at the end of a line. The water passed thorough testing after service was restored, according to officials.