It was the rule of threes for Carbon County water problems this year.

On Saturday, a water valve failed on the sprinkler system in the 525 Iron St., Lehighton building, which is currently being renovated for Children and Youth Services, causing minor damage in the basement area.

On Thursday, Commissioners’ Chairman Wayne Nothstein joked that this was the county’s “third indoor water park.”

Last month, a broken water line on the third floor of the administration building caused approximately $200,000 in damages to various departments.

A week later, a sprinkler broke on the first floor of the newly renovated 44 Susquehanna St., building, forcing the elections office to temporarily relocate while the floor dried out.

Nothstein said that the county was alerted to the problem at the Lehighton building when the sprinkler triggered the outdoor audible alarm, which dispatched the fire department.

The sprinkler only damaged about a half dozen air filters that were in the basement, Nothstein said.

He noted that while the leak was a problem, it actually saved the county in the future because further inspection of the water lines revealed four or five other leaks that were repaired.

One additional leak, in an incoming pipe, will need to have the water shut down for approximately two hours and coordination with the Lehighton Water Authority.

The commissioners stressed that the valve problem was no fault of the contractors currently renovating the building, but it was just rusty pipes.