For over three weeks, a drain in front of the Crookston U.S. Post Office has been overflowing and leaking out on the sidewalk and roadway near the intersection of S. Broadway and East Fletcher Street. Crookston Public Works Director Brandon Carlson has reported that it is a Service Leak that the City is aware of but reported that the service is privately owned by the Post Office. “It’s not a City issue. The services are privately owned, so the only thing that the City is responsible for is the water main. So, everything tapped after the main is a private property issue,” Public Works Director Brandon Carlson explained. “There’s the service insurance policy that’s on every water bill, so as long as the leak is from the main to the curb stop, it’ll cover it, but if it’s from the curb stop into the building, then it’s on the property owner,” he added.
While Director Carlson reported that the City is not responsible for the leak out on the road, he has noted that the City is ready to help cover costs for the repairs or take action themselves if it is found that the leak is connected to the City’s water main. “If it turns out to be between the main and the curb stop, so the shutoff typically in the middle of the sidewalk where you can see where the water’s coming up on this one, then the insurance policy will cover the repairs,” Director Brandon Carlson explained. “But at the end of the day, it’s the property owner’s responsibility to line up the contractor and the repairs,” he added. While Carlson has reported that he does not know the specifics of who the Post Office has hired to repair the leak, Carlson mentioned that he has spoken with the Water Superintendent last week to help them get through the process much faster to hopefully have the leak repaired soon. “The Post Office has been in contact with a contractor, and with them being a federal entity, it takes them a little bit longer than the normal individual to get a contract together,” Director Brandon Carlson explains.
We will continue to monitor and give updates about the Service Leak when more information becomes available to us.
Pictures of the leak can be seen below,
