Burlington public works officials say proper procedures might have been ignored when a pump was turned on at the water plant Thursday just before three near-simultaneous water-pipe leaks.
Public Works Director Steve Goodkind says none of the pipes were old and all three showed “blow-out holes” from a water surge.
Goodkind says that when that particular pump is turned on protocol calls for shutting down a valve by 80 percent to avoid what is known as a “water hammer.”
One of the breaks caused officials at the C.P. Smith Elementary School to give most of the children the day off.
There were three waterline breaks last month, but officials don’t know what caused them.