Residents and business owners on Barnard Street near the intersection of Chapman Street in Point Loma were inconvenienced Oct. 16, when a six-inch, concrete water pipe broke at about 3:30 p.m., releasing an undetermined amount of water.
The break caused flood damage to parts of the sidewalk and street and forced city crews to scramble to address the problem, said Arian Collins, spokesman for the City of San Diego’s Water Operations Department.
The concrete pipe connecting a water main to a nearby fire hydrant burst because of erosion, he said.
As the water ran from the broken pipe, it washed away soil underneath the pavement, opening a sinkhole on the side of the street.
“We don’t use concrete pipes any longer,” Collins said. “We use PVC pipes because concrete pipes break after years of use.”
Water service to residents and business owners flowed uninterrupted during the incident. However, before city work crews could stop the leak, they had to remove a tree that had been partially uprooted because of the damage, he said.
City crews were able to stop the leak by 4 p.m. Crews temporarily repaved the damage and replaced the pipe overnight, he said.
The city does have plans to repair the street, although a date has yet to be determined, Collins said.
City crews initially closed off the area because mud and debris washed into the area. However, once city workers cleared the debris the roads were reopened to through traffic, he said.