Water main break closes schools, boil water order issued | News

GIBSON CO., IN (WFIE)- A water main break in the town of Francisco forced the East Gibson School Corporation to close on Tuesday and forced residents to boil their water.

Water Superintendent Bill Arvin says the main water line that supplies the town was old and that's probably what caused the break.

But he says it's going to take some time before everything is back to normal.

"They were pretty excited. They like having a day off every once in a while," said mother of two students, Rebecca Callahan.  

Callahan's two boys spent their afternoon swinging and sliding out in their backyard instead of at school. 

"It affects them because of the one school being out, our school here in town, Francisco Elementary, and when we do that it shuts down the whole school system in this side of the county," said Arvin.

Francisco Elementary doesn't have running water. It's the only school affected because the other East Gibson Schools are in other towns, but many of Francisco's residents are also dry.

"I mean, it's one of those where it makes a hissing noise when you turn on the faucets. So I took some tubs, some storage tubs up to my mother's and went to get some water," said Callahan.

Arvin says crews began working to dig to the line to repair it at around 10:00 a.m., but because the line is eight feet below ground, he says it's going to take a while. Residents are anxious.

Many say they have been boiling water if they do have it running in their house, and restaurants like the Circle J are using bottled water for their cooking. Arvin says there is a boil order in effect until further notice.

"You just need to be patient with us, we're doing everything we can to get the pipes aligned," said Arvin.

Arvin says he does not believe the problem will be solved Tuesday night and he has not named a day or time when he believes everything will be back to normal.

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