Hundreds still without water after Warner Robins sinkhole. When it will be fixed

A sinkhole that opened underneath Watson Boulevard in Warner Robins Tuesday afternoon is still causing water service disruptions, but it’s expected to be repaired by 8 p.m. Thursday, city officials said during a press conference.

The sinkhole opened in the eastbound lanes of Watson Boulevard near Olympia Drive after a water main dating back to the 1960s broke about 25 feet beneath the surface of the road, officials said in an email Wednesday morning.

Montie Walters, utilities director with the City of Warner Robins, said the sinkhole was found after drivers reported a large pothole suddenly appearing in the road. Upon further investigation, workers discovered the sinkhole underneath the road.

Walters estimated the sinkhole to be large enough to fit three or four cars. No one was killed or injured by the sinkhole.

“If stormwater hadn’t found this when someone called it in, somebody could’ve died,” Woodyard said.

Water shut off to valve and customers

The city shut off water to the valve to stop the leak, leaving an estimated 700 customers in the area without water. About 350 of those customers are residential, Warner Robins City Administrator James Drinkard said during the press conference.

Drinkard said the city hoped to have the issue resolved on Wednesday, but complications, including locating the water main and obtaining materials caused delays in the repair. Crews had been working nonstop on the sinkhole for more than 48 hours by Thursday afternoon.

“That is not anything we expected,” Drinkard said. “We expected a relatively typical water main break.”

When will water be restored to customers?

Crews are still working, but officials estimate the repair will be completed and water service will be restored to customers by 8 p.m. Thursday. Water will be safe to drink as soon as service is restored.

Drinkard advised residents to continue monitoring city social media and local news outlets for further updates and information about the sinkhole and water service.