Water Mishap in Banks County

BANKS COUNTY, Ga. - About 150 people are without water in Banks County. It started when a gas line which was on top of a water line ruptured.

The Banks County Public Utility Director said it happened to the pipes on the corner of State Highway 105 and Spring Road.

Chad Holcomb lives down the road and is ferrying his family, a wife and several children, back and forth to in-laws who do have water.

He is also the pastor of Lamar Christian Church next door. He said some parishioners with well water are sharing their water with those who don't have it.

The Director of Banks County Public Utilities said when the gas line ruptured in the ground the highly pressurized natural gas got into the water line.

He said the gas never made into any of the homes but did pose a fire or explosion threat at fire hydrants where it was being vented.

Georgia’s Environmental Protection Division is monitoring the potential dangers. The county said a half dozen water samples will be tested at the states lab for contaminants.

The Director of Banks County Public Utilities said if the samples all come back negative for contaminants than the water will be turned back on Wednesday morning if there are any positive samples for contaminants than the water will have to be tested again until it is clean which means it could be turned on later than Wednesday.