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Major water line fixed; Keller mayor blames Spectrum for the main break

Crews have shut down water service to nearly 90 properties near Mt. Gilead Road in north Keller after a contractor bored into a 16-inch water line, city officials said. The city is working on an estimated timeline for repairs.
Crews have shut down water service to nearly 90 properties near Mt. Gilead Road in north Keller after a contractor bored into a 16-inch water line, city officials said. The city is working on an estimated timeline for repairs. City of Keller

Keller residents who have been without water since Monday are getting their service restored after workers completed repairs on a 16-inch water main near Mt. Gilliad Road, affecting around 90 homes.

In a post on Keller’s website, the city thanked residents for their patience, and employees and volunteers who helped during the prolonged main break.

Mayor Armin Mizani said that Spectrum Communications is responsible for the main break near Mt. Gilead Road.

“Can you imagine you are preparing for Thanksgiving and you don’t have water?” Mizani said.

Mizani said in an interview that Spectrum did not contact the city for permission to work and did not request water line locations.

Mizani said he did not know what type of work was being done when Spectrum contractors ruptured the 16-inch water line on Monday afternoon, Nov. 25.

The line is 15 feet underground, he said.

Spectrum said in an emailed statement, “We sincerely apologize to the residents of Keller for the disruption caused by the water main break on Mt. Gilead Road. We are actively working with Keller city officials and are committed to fully cooperating as they restore water services as quickly as possible. We understand the significant inconvenience this has caused, especially during a holiday week.”

Mizani said the city is notifying Spectrum about requesting reimbursement for the cost of repairs.

Mizani said he doesn’t’ have an estimate of how much the break will cost the city, but Keller was losing 5,000 gallons per minute before the break was discovered.

Keller will also have to repair the road where the water main broke, he said.

Mizani said he is “optimistic” that a patch will be in place on Wednesday and that residents will have water before Thanksgiving.

Mizani said in a Facebook post that Spectrum is responsible for other “messes” in Tarrant County. When asked for more details, Mizani said residents in the Villages of Woodland Springs area complained to Keller officials about Spectrum although that neighborhood is just across the city limits in far Fort Worth.

This story was originally published November 26, 2024 at 2:47 PM.

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Elizabeth Campbell
Fort Worth Star-Telegram
With my guide dog Freddie, I keep tabs on growth, economic development and other issues in Northeast Tarrant cities and other communities near Fort Worth. I’ve been a reporter at the Star-Telegram for 34 years.
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