Broken water main damages road and disrupts traffic near Yelm Highway and Rich Road
Water service has been restored to businesses and homes around Yelm Highway and Rich Road after a 12-inch water main broke there Sunday evening.
The water is safe to drink, said Eric Christensen, water resources director for the city of Olympia.
But the spill damaged roads in the area, which will take about a day to repair, he said. Yelm Highway has been reduced to one lane in both directions and Rich Road has been closed south of the intersection, Christensen said.
The water main pipe that broke was installed in 1985, he said.
About 7:30 p.m. Sunday, the city began receiving reports about low water pressure in the area. The city was able to increase water pressure by shutting off valves, but water service wasn’t fully restored to at least one business until 5 a.m. Monday, he said.
Christensen didn’t immediately know how many gallons of water spilled, but it bubbled up under the streets and damaged road beds.
The city will have to hire a contractor on an emergency basis to complete the repairs, he said.
A preliminary check of the water main showed that either during road construction or after it, rubble wound up on top of the pipe, Christensen said.
This story was originally published May 4, 2020 at 9:50 AM.
