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Approximately 207,000 gallons of water spilled onto Railroad Avenue and Fourth Street Friday morning when city workers attempted to relocate a fire hydrant and it popped off the line. Workers were trying to move the hydrant to do sidewalk and curb repair.

"We were relocating the fire hydrant to reshape the corner to make it better for traffic," Elkins Operations Manager Bob Pingley said. "We received a grant to do the sidewalk repairs and when they went to move the hydrant, it popped off the valve."

Water flowed nearly 2 feet high on Fourth Street, onto Railroad Avenue and toward the railyard. Traffic was blocked for about 30 minutes from entering Railroad Avenue at Fifth Street and near the Elkins Welcome Center Depot.

Pingley said the hydrant was put into place many years ago and the methods that were used when it was installed are different from what is done today.

Elkins Water Plant Supervisor Mike Barkley said the leak would not require a boil water advisory because the system never lost pressure.

"When working with the old lines, we do not know what we are in store for," Barkley said. "The last two breaks were because we were moving lines."

On July 29, city employees had to repair a broken valve on Randolph Avenue after water was shut off to take out part of the line that was no longer being used on Fourth Street. After the work was completed, another section of the line broke and city crews had to replace a section of that line.