An 18-inch cast iron water main burst in Vancouver Saturday evening, flooding an area near the old Vancouver Community Library on East Mill Plain Boulevard.
The break occurred around 6 p.m. as a private contractor was working on a new development in the area, according to a news release from Vancouver’s Public Works Department.
The break is near the old library at 1007 E. Mill Plain, at the intersection of Fort Vancouver Way. The building is now used for office space by the Fort Vancouver Regional Library District.
The old cast iron water main was due for replacement in the next 10 days as part of a new development, according to the city.
Private contractor crews for that project quickly responded to try to stop the flow, but were unable to do so because of the size of the pipe and severity of the break. City Water Operations crews also responded, working with the contractor to repair the break.
As of 10 p.m. Saturday, crews were still on scene and did know when repairs would be complete. Some customers in the area are without water as crews work to repair the break. Likewise, details about impacts of the break to the nearby structures and parking lot were still being determined, according to the city.
The impact to services in the downtown area is expected to be limited due to recent improvements at the utility’s nearby Water Station 1, in Waterworks Park near Fort Vancouver Way and Northeast Fourth Plain Boulevard, that have helped increase reliability of the city’s water services.
The city asks that the public allow crews to complete this repair by maintaining a safe, physical distance away from the construction area. Watch for further updates as information becomes available.
