REFUGIO COUNTY, Texas — Crews are working around the clock to repair a major leak to the Mary Rhodes Pipeline, with the fix expected to be complete by Friday.
The pipeline has been offline since Saturday night after a leak was detected on a 64-inch diameter pipe near Highway 77 and State Route 238, just north of Refugio. Crews replaced 17 feet of pipeline on Wednesday afternoon.
Nick Winklemann of Corpus Christi Water said the work will continue until the pipeline is back in service.
"The crews, both CCW crews and our contractors, are working 24 hours a day and they'll work 7 days a week until this is repaired."
The repair work is complicated by an active gas line running through the same trench as the damaged pipe. Crews are using spare 64-inch bar-wrapped pipe stored at the Woodsboro Pump Station for the replacement.
While the pipeline is offline, 100% of the city's water supply is coming from western reservoirs and the Nueces Groundwater Program through the Nueces River. Officials say this will not trigger a water emergency or cause drops in water pressure.
Winklemann said crews have been working nonstop since the issue was identified.
"We're thankful for the CCW crews. We have help from our engineering services department on site as well and then our dedicated contractors, they've been working nonstop since this was, since the issue was determined, and they'll work nonstop until it's repaired and we get the Mary Rose pipeline back online."
Startup operations for the repaired pipeline are projected to begin Friday.
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