Water line repairs force closure of Whitewater rest area

The Whitewater rest area is once again experiencing water issues.

On Friday, the eastbound and westbound rest areas were closed after a breakage in the main water line, according to Cal Tran maintenance public information officer Shane Massoud. Previously, the snakebitten rest area has shut down periodically over the years to failures in the rest area’s water pump, which is fed by the main water line.

The closure is expected to remain in effect until August 12, but there is a chance that the closure will be shorter, per Massoud.

The rest area has had difficulty remaining over the years, with problems being reported since 2014. Prior to this closure, the rest area has had a solid run of 14 months, with the last closure being reported in April 2018.

The eastbound and westbound rest areas share a water system. The current failure of the system is due to wear and tear, according to Massoud.

A contractor is expected to assess the damage Monday.