On Friday morning, the Union County School District faced an unexpected disruption as students were sent home early due to a water main break in Lake Butler, per the Union County Sheriff's Office. The incident affected not only the district's more than 2,300 students but also the entire community, including homes, businesses, a hospital, and all city buildings, according to News4Jax report.
The city notified the school district that the outage would last an extended period, prompting the early release and subsequent relocation of students to a reunification site at Sardis Baptist Church, as additionally reported by Action News Jax.
The break occurred after a contractor, engaged in a road-widening project on County Road 231, struck the main water line, this mistake led to a complete loss of water for the city, forcing many businesses to close early, including B-Squared Bakery on the community's busiest day, and complicated matters for local residents who faced an unexpected adversity on that day, as students were held at schools for pickup until noon before being transported to the church until 3:30 p.m. according to First Coast News. Jason Furman, Lake Butler's lead water/wastewater plant operator, emphasized the severity of the situation stating, "There's zero water pressure, there's no water coming out of our water tower right now," and pointed out the preventable nature of the incident citing the contractor's negligent failure to call for underground utility locates before digging.
Repairs to the broken water main were quickly initiated, and as of the latest update, water service was being cautiously restored across the city. A boil water notice was issued as a precaution, with tests underway to ensure the water's safety and potability. City Manager Kimberly Hayes stated that the water main was expected to be repaired by Friday night, but residents should prepare for an advisory period lasting approximately one week.
School operations were adapted throughout the crisis, with bus riders taken home as usual, walking students escorted to their schools to proceed home, and others waiting for pickup at the off-site location. Teachers and administrators remained with their students until each was safely accounted for. A Union County High School student, Canan Harris, described the situation's urgency, sharing with First Coast News, "They told us that we couldn't use the bathroom or drink the water and that we had to go home early."
