On Sunday, January 26, 2026 at approximately 11:00 a.m., the City of Hartford Water Department notified residents and businesses of an active water main repair in the 600 block of Clay Street. City crews were dispatched to investigate a suspected leak and began initial repair efforts.
At approximately 4:00 p.m., the City issued a follow-up notice advising the public that repair work was ongoing and that crews remained on site as the issue required continued investigation and assessment.
By 8:00 p.m., further evaluation determined that the repair would require an overnight shutdown of the water system. Residents and businesses were notified that both city water tanks and the water treatment plant would be shut down at 9:00 p.m. to allow crews to safely access and repair the damaged infrastructure. At that time, the City issued a system-wide Boil Water Advisory affecting all Hartford water customers and advised customers to collect and store water in advance, as little to no water service was expected during the repair.
During the overnight repair process, crews identified the root cause of the failure as a ruptured valve on a 6-inch cast iron shutoff line running down Clay Street. This discovery required additional work beyond the initial assessment and extended the duration of the repair as the process uncovered the actual source of the problem.
As a result, repairs took longer than originally anticipated. The water main repair was successfully completed at approximately 4:30 a.m. on Monday, January 27.
Throughout the incident and recovery process, the City of Hartford Water Department has been in ongoing communication and coordination with the Kentucky Division of Water. The Division of Water was notified of the system shutdown and boil water advisory and is actively working with the City to ensure all regulatory requirements are met as the system returns to normal operation.
Following completion of the repair, both water tanks were returned to service, and the water treatment plant was fully restarted. The system is currently refilling distribution lines and water tanks. Crews are actively monitoring tank levels and flushing the system to remove air from the water mains and address any potential discoloration.
As tank levels continue to rise and system pressure stabilizes, customers are gradually seeing water service restored and improved pressure. Due to the scale of the shutdown and refill process, there is currently no estimated time for full system capacity, but crews are working around the clock to restore normal operations as safely and efficiently as possible.
The system-wide Boil Water Advisory remains in effect. Once the water system has fully stabilized, bacteriological samples will be collected at multiple locations throughout the city and submitted for laboratory testing. The advisory will be lifted only after test results meet required standards and approval is granted by the Division of Water.
The City of Hartford appreciates the patience, cooperation, and understanding of residents and businesses and extends sincere gratitude to the crew who worked relentlessly through the night in “feels-like” temperatures below 0 to bring restoration.
Residents are encouraged to sign up for Reach Alerts at Hartfordky.org to receive timely notifications regarding water service updates and other important city information.
A note from Mayor, Beau Wright:
I want to take a moment to thank everyone who has been willing to help the Water Department during these extremely cold temperatures. What they have done is far more than what most people see. Monitoring the situation all night and providing constant updates doesn’t begin to cover the amount of work and dedication involved.
I am very thankful for each and every person who was involved in repairing this leak — the Hartford Water Department and the Luttrell’s & Sons team. Thank you all from the bottom of my heart.
To the residents, thank you for your patience and understanding during a stressful time. We know how difficult it is to be without water or worry about possible leaks in your homes. Please know that our top priority is making sure we provide the best service possible for our community.
In good or bad situations, we serve and answer to this community. I hope everyone stays warm and has a blessed day.
