A leaky water line that ran under the Korean War monument at Memorial Stadium was fixed Wednesday, according to stadium officials.

Elton Reece, director of the Selma Parks and Recreation Department, said workers from the recreation, water and public works department were involved in fixing the issue.

“[The water] was coming up through the monument, and we were afraid it was going to do permanent damage to the monument or cave in,” Reece said. “People walk around it all the time.”

Reece said the leak had been happening on and off for the last six months, but eventually got to the point where it had to be fixed. At this point, Reece said the cost to fix the leak is all in the amount of work put in.

“It was all labor right now,” Reece said. “It took two full days, like eight hours digging and working.”

Reece said two lines ran under the monument, but one of them was already capped off. Ray Hogg, who serves as the city’s engineering consultant, also helped oversee the project. He said the best option ended up being to cap the second line as well.

“They put a cap on the end of the line because they don’t know where it goes,” Hogg said. “That’s not uncommon, because that stadium was built in 1949 and a lot of things have changed since then.”

Hogg said workers had to dig by hand to get to the pipes, because they were not sure where they were located.

“That was what was so bad,” Hogg said. “They were trying to find the pipes. That was the hardest part, finding out where the pipes were. They had to literally dig by hand, because they were afraid of what else may be under there. They didn’t want to hit a gas line or an electric line or something like that.”

Reece said the holes were filled in Friday morning after it was determined the leaking had stopped. Reece said he felt it was important to fill in the holes before the Battle of the Bands Saturday at the stadium, which is expected to bring in hundreds of people.

About 25 bricks still lay beside the monument, which is outlined by caution tape. Reece said the bricks will be replaced next week.