Spruce Pine is still working to restore water to residents of the Sullins Branch/Ollis Road neighborhood, residents who lost water pressure just before Christmas.
“Last week, we put in 740 feet of eight-inch pipe from Pine Branch to Sullins Branch,” Public Works Director Travis Phillips told the Town Council last week.
Phillips said there is still work to be done to get the pipe across a state road.
“I’ve got a meeting with the state this week about crossing Sullins Branch — hopefully, we’ll be able to work together because it’s right in the direction of Pine Branch,” Phillips said. “And they might want to replace that culvert and or drop that culvert so we can cross it plus give them a good chance to spread the road open because we need to break it open, too.”
Previously, Town Manager Daniel Stines had said that some residents struggling with water issues have had their pressure restored, but there have been weather-related delays for others.
“Our efforts are to fix all pressure issues throughout, one zone at a time,” Stines said.
Various members of affected neighborhood have come to town council meetings repeatedly to complain about their lack of water. Some have lost water entirely, while others have pressure so low that they must wait nearly an hour to fill a bathtub.