Water service has been restored in Julian after a recent outage and boil-water advisory on Main Street, but local water officials say the East County mountain town is still dealing with an aging pipe system that keeps failing in different locations.

According to East County Magazine, Julian Community Services District General Manager and Chief Operator Harry "Buddy" Seifert said all water was back on as of May 6. He told the publication that much of the district's underground system dates to 1965 and 1966 and includes asbestos-reinforced concrete pipe that he said was not installed correctly.

Seifert said district crews replace damaged sections with modern plastic piping when breaks occur, but replacing the remaining system is a larger financial challenge. East County Magazine reported that one mile of pipeline near the end of town was replaced in the early 2000s, while much of the original system remains beneath downtown Julian along Main Street.

The outages affect homeowners, restaurants, inns and shops in a town that relies heavily on visitors from across East County and San Diego County. District officials said they use a phone-tree notification system to alert residents and businesses when outages or boil-water orders occur, and Seifert told East County Magazine the drinking water remains safe after testing and sanitation procedures.

The Julian Community Services District has pursued grants and low-interest loans to replace more of the system, according to the report. The district was formed in 1964 and serves downtown Julian's 271-acre service area, including wells, tanks, pipelines, pumps and chlorination stations.