A major waterline break near Robinson and 24th Avenue sent crews scrambling Thursday evening, prompting the City of Norman to warn East Norman residents they may notice dropping water pressure and to ask everyone in the city to conserve water while repairs get underway.
City officials said residents could experience water-pressure issues Thursday evening as crews worked the break near Robinson and 24th Avenue, according to KOKH.
The Vernon Campbell Water Treatment Plant is at 3000 E. Robinson Street, adjacent to the intersection of Robinson and 24th Avenue NE. The facility processes raw surface water from Lake Thunderbird and supplies roughly 60% of Norman's municipal drinking water, according to Hoodline's prior coverage of the plant. Another 32% of the city's supply comes from 43 active groundwater wells, with wholesale purchases from Oklahoma City making up the remaining 8%.
A Familiar Break in a Vulnerable Corridor
A previous major break occurred along East Robinson Street. On September 21, 2023 — almost exactly three years before Thursday's break — a major 42-inch transmission line ruptured roughly a quarter-mile east of 24th Avenue NE, prompting the city to ask residents to conserve water, according to the City of Norman. That earlier break was isolated that evening, while repair work and later line flushing continued.
The treatment plant has faced other recent strains as well. Six weeks before Thursday's break, a wildfire near NE 24th Avenue and Robinson Street prompted an evacuation of the Vernon Campbell plant, pulling operators away from analyzing roughly 220 daily water quality samples, Hoodline reported in its coverage of the wildfire evacuation. The plant, built in 1964 and since upgraded to treat up to 17 million gallons per day, normally runs around the clock to regulate water quality and pressure across the system.
City Requests Conservation
During Thursday's break, the city asked residents to conserve water while crews addressed the main break.
The Norman City Council adopted AIM Norman on June 24, 2025.
Where Norman's Water Comes From
The raw surface water treated at the East Robinson plant makes a long journey before it ever reaches a tap. It travels from Lake Thunderbird through an 8.4-mile pipeline managed in part by the Central Oklahoma Master Conservancy District, per the Central Oklahoma Master Conservancy District.
Crews responded near Robinson and 24th Avenue Thursday evening to address the break.
