Second water main to break this year causes water shutoffs for an hour near Evergreen Boulevard and Harney Way

A water main broke near Evergreen Boulevard and Harney Way on Wednesday, causing water to be shut off to those nearby for an hour while city of Vancouver maintenance crews worked to repair it.

It’s not the first water main to break recently. In late January, a Washington Street sinkhole partially swallowed an SUV, forcing one of the people inside to escape through a window.

Neither the Washington Street nor Evergreen Boulevard water main breaks were caused by weather. Rather, it was the pipes’ age, said Ryan Lopossa, the city of Vancouver’s streets and transportation manager.

The Evergreen Boulevard main, a cast-iron pipe, was installed in 1952, Lopossa said. The city’s oldest lines date back to the 1910s and are primarily in downtown. Newer mains are made of ductile iron and are more durable.

Unlike water lines at your house that can burst in freezing temperatures, water mains in the Pacific Northwest don’t usually rupture, because the water inside is flowing, Lopossa said.

The city plans to replace some water mains, as listed in the water, sewer and surface water capital improvement program.

Public works recommends that drivers avoid traveling through large puddles or moving water because it’s impossible to know what is under the surface.

If drivers encounter potential road hazards, water leaks or other urgent issues, contact the city as soon as possible at 360-487-8177.