WHITEMAN AIR FORCE BASE, Mo. -- U.S. Airmen with the 509th Civil Engineer Squadron have been working to repair a broken water main under Spirit Blvd. on Whiteman AFB since Jan. 20, 2024.
There is currently no projected completion date for the repairs, according to Michael Batusic, 509th CES infrastructure superintendent.
“The timeline from initial call to completion was approximately 1 week, however, due to the location, buried utilities, and extreme cold temperatures, this timeline increased,” Batusic said.
CES is uncertain what caused the main to break, but the priority is fixing the issue in a timely manner to avoid other complications.
“Our water system fulfills many functions,” said David Neuman, 509th CES plumbing supervisor, “and disruptions such as this, if not addressed will impact firefighting capabilities directly supporting the mission as well as quality of life issues pertaining to drinking water quality, accessibility to restrooms and more.”
If the line was allowed to continue to leak, it could’ve potentially caused a sinkhole under Spirit Blvd. said Batusic.
To prevent this, the Airmen repairing the main line have been working outside regular duty hours and through single-digit temperatures with negative wind chills, snow, and freezing rain to complete the repair as quickly and as safely as possible.
“The dedication of our airmen all working together as a team in sub-zero weather shows the professionalism and willingness of each perspective CES section,” said Batusic.
As construction is ongoing, 509th CES asks all base members to be patient as the road is being repaired.