The Greater Cincinnati Water Works is starting two projects Monday to repair leaks. One of those is on Riverside Drive in the East End.
Water Distribution Superintendent Jason Fleming said there's a leak there involving a 54-inch steel pipe, that's encased in concrete. The top of the pipe is 17-feet deep.
He said it will take some time to reach the problem, but they suspect it involves a pipe joint.
"We believe we've isolated the area of it, which is above a joint that had a weld done on it about seven to eight years ago that we suspect may have failed," Fleming said. "And so we just have to go back down in there and hopefully re-weld that joint and get the leak to stop. But that's all speculative at this point until we're actually able to dig it up."
The leak on Riverside is just west of Bains Street, and will close eastbound lanes until the work is completed, which is expected to be by the end of the month. One westbound lane will be open. The city said a marked detour via Columbia Parkway will be in place for eastbound traffic.
Fleming said the leak surfaced as a wet spot on Riverside, and has gradually increased to a small amount of water running across the pavement.
The transmission water line carries water to other parts of the city, and doesn't provide service to any nearby residences or businesses.
Meanwhile, another repair project will restrict traffic on the westbound Queen City Bypass just west of White Street.
"That one's going to be a little bit different," Fleming said. "We're not going to do what we're doing on Riverside with a spot repair, that's actually going to require some replacement of about 300 feet of pipe."
That leak started as a water main break around Christmas.
The single-lane closure for that repair will only be from 7 a.m. until 4 p.m. weekdays, and the work should be completed in mid-February. The city said all lanes of the bypass will open to traffic after 4 p.m. and on weekends.
