EBMUD Works To Restore Service After 66-Year-Old Water Main Breaks In Lafayette

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LAFAYETTE (CBS SF) -- Crews with the East Bay Municipal Utility District were working to dig up a 15-foot segment of a 66-year-old cast iron pipe in Lafayette after it ruptured Friday afternoon, leaving dozens of customers without water.

The broken water main was first reported around 4:45 p.m. Friday in the 800 block of Reliez Station Road.

Affected customers are expected to remain without water service until Saturday evening, according to EBMUD spokeswoman Nelsy Rodriguez.

(CBS)

Rodriguez said that crews have been digging since 11 p.m., but as they excavated the broken water main they found that the damage was significant.

As of Saturday afternoon, they were still working to dig around the pipe, cut out the broken section and replace it with PVC, according to Rodriguez.

The damaged water main is a 16-inch cast-iron pipe that was originally installed in 1949, Rodriguez said.