SLO utilities crews repair rupture in main water line from Whale Rock Reservoir
San Luis Obispo utilities workers have repaired a rupture in the pipeline that carries water from Whale Rock Reservoir near Cayucos to the city’s water treatment plant, it said in a Facebook post on Saturday.
In the post, the Utilities Department noted that with the Nacimiento pipeline offline, the rupture left the city with only one water source, the supply from the Salinas Reservoir, better known as Santa Margarita Lake.
“While the Salinas line was up and running, and the Water Treatment Plant was capable of storing some additional water, the repair of the Whale Rock line required an immediate response,” the city said.
The rupture occurred in a field near Hollister Peak along Highway 1, photos showed. Water could be seen pooling on the surface of the ground, a photo showed.
The city said utilities crews and a local contractor quickly worked to expose the ruptured line, digging down several feet before coming up with a plan to repair the hole, which appeared to be about 1 to 2 feet long in an L shape.
After the hole had been patched, the pipeline was reconnected and water again was able to flow from Whale Rock, which was at 92% of capacity as of Dec. 31, the most recent reading for the reservoir.
It’s unclear from the post when the rupture was discovered and ultimately repaired.
