Austin Water responds to leak complaint

AUSTIN (KXAN) - Neighbors on Teakwood Drive said calls to the city did little to stop a water leak that sent a stream of wasted water down the entire block and into a storm drain.

“I’m a concerned citizen about the amount of water we are wasting,” said Corey Thrash. He called 3-1-1 on Sunday after discovering the leak, but was told to be patient.

“She said I was not the first to call,” said Thrash. “She said they would have a team out, but they were busy and with the (President’s Day) holiday, it could be until Tuesday.”

That's a long wait considering the water was flowing at a steady pace, sending hundreds of gallons an hour into the storm gutter.

However, an inspector was sent to gauge the problem a short time after KXAN contacted Austin Water Utility about its response to the leak.

“We occasionally prioritize leaks,” said spokeswoman Jill Mayfield. After inspecting the leak on Teakwood, they decided it was a high priority.

“They looked at it and decided they need to repair it today," Mayfield said.

Mayfield said a crew would fix the leak by the end of Monday. Service to about 30 homes would be shut off while the crew was working.