01/27/2026
Water Service Outage Timeline – Argyle Road
The following timeline summarizes notifications and reported communications related to the Argyle Road water main break, as shared by Southern Black Hills Water Service, along with customer-reported phone conversations with SBHWS representatives. This timeline is provided for community awareness.
**Thursday, January 22 – 4:20 PM
An SMS message was sent to subscribed users stating:
“(IRIS) We have a water main break on Argyle Road. We have it isolated and are working on repairs. Please conserve water. We will notify you when the main repair is complete.”
**Friday, January 23 – 1:45 PM
A follow-up SMS message was sent stating:
“(IRIS) The water leak on Argyle Road is still being repaired. Please continue to conserve water. We will notify you directly when the leak is fixed. Thank you for your help.”
Around the same time, an automated phone call/voicemail was delivered repeating this message.
**Saturday, January 24 – 1:00 PM
An SMS message was sent stating:
“(IRIS) We are in EMERGENCY MODE! We are asking you NOT TO USE WATER! We will let you know when you can use water again. Thank you for your attention to this.”
Later that day, according to a customer who spoke by phone with the SBHWS Chairman, the following information was shared:
--The damaged pipe was described as approximately 12 inches in diameter.
--A 40-foot section of pipe was identified as the section targeted for replacement.
--The pipe was described as being located beneath rock and concrete.
--The first piece of contractor equipment (a wheeled backhoe) was unable to access the pipe due to rock.
--A second piece of equipment (a tracked backhoe) experienced mechanical issues after diesel fuel gelled due to cold temperatures, requiring the contractor to travel to Rapid City for supplies.
This information was provided via phone conversation and was not distributed as a system-wide notice.
**Sunday, January 25 – Monday, January 26
No system-wide SMS or voice updates were distributed during this period.
Multiple customers reported calling SBHWS during this time seeking updates.
**Monday, January 26 – 11:45 AM
According to a customer who contacted the Water District Manager by phone, the following was discussed:
--Two contractors were reported to be on site working on the water main break.
--Discussion regarding whether customers in the impacted area would receive a prorated refund of base water service charges due to the outage, discussed in relation to an estimated seven-day outage period.
--Questions regarding assistance for customers needing access to shower facilities during the outage.
--This information was shared during a phone conversation and was not issued as a formal notice.
**Tuesday, January 27 – 11:35 AM
An SMS message was sent stating:
“For Evans Plunge, Evans Plunge will be closed on Tuesdays but will be open tomorrow. Tell them you are a customer of SBHWS when you go in. This message will now repeat. The water system will pay for you to take a shower at Maverick Truck Stop or Evans Plunge.”
**Status as of Tuesday, January 27 at 3:00pm:
No additional system-wide updates regarding repair completion or restoration of service have been distributed beyond the messages noted above.
For current status updates or service-related questions, customers are encouraged to contact Southern Black Hills Water Service directly at (605) 745-4669.
