Broken WA water main unleashes river of silt
Thursday, March 29, 2012
PROSSER, Wash. (AP) -- Officials in Prosser, Wash., say a break in a cast iron pipe near the city's main reservoir sent 1 million gallons of water gushing through town, creating a river of silt and mud that flowed through streets and into a cemetery.
The Yakima Herald-Republic reports (http://is.gd/1iZUqJ) the damage was most visible Thursday at the Prosser Cemetery, where graves in the older section were covered in 8 inches of mud.
Cemetery director Tim Stewart says cleanup will take about a month.
A layer of silt reached the streets near Prosser High School and covered portions of the track at a stadium.
Officials say mud ended up inside at least one home.
Water Superintendent Brian Cyphers says it's unclear what caused the break but he adds that's why cast iron isn't used for that purpose any more.
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Information from: Yakima Herald-Republic, http://www.yakimaherald.com
