Update on the Route 30N Water main Break and impacts to the users

Update on the water main break on Route 30N in Castleton.

The water main break was repaired. Due to the quick response and diligence of Fire District #3 personnel, very few residences were negatively impacted by the break. In speaking with Fire District #3 personnel, with the exception of residences north of the Fellowship Bible Church, there is no boil water notice required of all other District #3 users. We are appreciative of the quick response that resulted in negligible disruption to the public water service.

We did discover that there is room for improvement for quicker and more accurate initial notification. In the absence of facts, information makes it like wildfire over social media, texts, and word of mouth, and they are not always accurate. This is something the Town is committed to working with the Fire Districts to provide factual initial notifications. In this instance, the Fire District #3 personnel, the police chief, and Town Manager visited or called businesses to let them know there was a water main break and there could be some disruption to water service. Thankfully, this was overall not the case, but the general public was left asking questions, and it is not known how many received accurate information through non-official sources.

The Town Manager did attempt to get messages pushed out over the VT Alert system but that only reached those who subscribe to VT Alert. Never squander shortfalls but instead use them to improve. Residents are encouraged to go to VT Alert and subscribe so you get early notification from official sources. Visit https://vem.vermont.gov/vtalert to sign up for alerts. Early notification in emergencies can save lives.