Laurel water shutoff starts at 9 a.m. for private line break

LAUREL, Mont. — A broken private waterline west of Laurel will force a water shutoff for several properties outside city limits beginning at 9:00 a.m. MST Friday, Nov. 13, 2026. In a Facebook post, Laurel Mayor Kris Vogele said the outage will affect properties along Old Highway 10 that get water through the privately owned line. The city has delivered notices to affected property owners. The city reported the line break has allowed water to leak onto neighboring properties. Officials said the water could damage a commercial parking lot, a nearby sidewalk and surrounding structures. Officials also identified possible safety concerns from unstable ground, sinkholes or collapsing pavement. The city said it cannot shut off water only at the damaged section because of how the private line is set up and where it runs. Officials said they ordered the full shutdown to limit further property damage and prevent more treated city water from leaking. The damaged waterline does not belong to the city or its maintained water system, officials said. A 1945 agreement placed responsibility for installing, maintaining, repairing and replacing the line with private parties. The city said it will work with affected property owners to restore service after