Vibrations from moving cars is the reason a water main broke in Sherrills Ford on Wednesday afternoon, authorities said.

Hickory utility workers spent Thursday morning repairing the broken pipes after about 3,000 gallons of water was lost, Paul Solomon, Hickory Water Distribution Manager, said.  City crews managed to avoid cutting off water to 100 Sherrills Ford residents along Slanting Bridge Road and along N.C. 150 from Terrell to East Maiden Road for three hours.

Solomon said the water main, located near the bridge close to the Sherrills Ford Road and Slanting Bridge Road intersection, lost water due to some loose bolts around the coupling.

With the water main located some 15 feet away from the bridge, Solomon said it was likely the vibrations of cars driving over the bridge caused the coupling to come loose.

 “This is an isolated incident,” Solomon said.  “We don’t have that problem a lot.”

An eight-man crew worked from 8:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. tightening the bolts, which fixed the problem at a cost of less than $1,500.

Piedmont Natural Gas employees discovered the leak while they were doing work in the area Wednesday afternoon.

“We’re hoping that it doesn’t happen again,” Solomon said.

Catawba County is scheduled to begin waterlines in Sherrills Ford in the third and final phase of the Southeastern Catawba County Water Supply Loop this month.  Solomon said those lines will have restrained joint pipe, designed to withstand vibrations.  He said the lines currently in use in Sherrills Ford were installed eight years ago, before that technology was available.

The final phase will run from East Maiden Road at the Anderson Mountain Road intersection up North Olivers Cross Road to Providence Mill and onto Campbell Road where it will tie into Phase II.

Hickory utility crews will be responsible for maintaining the new and existing waterlines put in place by Catawba County.

When the SECC Water Supply Loop is completed in about eight months, Solomon said it will give the city utility crews an opportunity to upgrade the other lines without disrupting water service to any Sherrills Ford residents.