Rose Village street remains closed after water main ruptures

A section of P Street in the Rose Village neighborhood remains closed following the rupture of a 10-inch water main Sunday evening.

No homes were damaged by the estimated 200,000 gallons of water that washed down P Street to 39th Street, according to a city news release. But the street was undermined.

The water main ruptured about 9:30 p.m. Sunday. By 10:45 p.m., a city operations crew had isolated the 10-foot-long broken section of pipe and shut off the water.

The pipe was replaced by 5 a.m. Monday.

The city closed P Street between East 37th and 39th streets to traffic and established a detour route.

Tim Brace, water production and distribution superintendent for the city’s utility, said the cast iron water main that broke dates to 1942. Before the broken section could be isolated and shut off, it drew down city water reserves by as much as 50 percent.

The city spends money every year to replace aging infrastructure, but the water main that ruptured hadn’t been identified as at-risk to break because it didn’t have a history of leaking, said Tyler Clary, manager of the water engineering program.

How much money it will cost to repair the damaged street and when the repairs will be done are yet to be been determined, according to a news release issued Monday afternoon.

The city provides water to approximately 230,000 customers, including some who live outside of city limits, and has 11 water stations, 40 wells and 1,026 miles of main line pipes.

All but 194 miles of the water main lines are ductile iron, considered more durable and less susceptible to corrosion than cast iron, according to the news release.

The city provides water to approximately 230,000 customers, including some who live outside of city limits, and has 11 water stations, 40 wells and 1,026 miles of main line pipes.

All but 194 miles of the water main line are ductile iron, considered more durable and less susceptible to corrosion than cast iron, according to the news release.