Extreme Heat Blamed For 11 Dallas Water Main Breaks

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DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM) - Water gushed from a hole in ground, where the street at 200 S. Van Buren had caved in.

"Out of nowhere, (there was) this explosion," said Jocelyn Ortega, who witnessed the water main break while sitting at a McDonald's on the corner.

A crew from Dallas Water Utilities stood by, waiting for the water to be turned off.

Four blocks away, another team of workers was busy trying to find a water main that ruptured hours earlier. A few blocks further, a third set of city employees were watching the water streaming from yet another break.

In all, CBS11 found at least five water main breaks within half a mile of each other in Oak Cliff.

Workers say the heat saps moisture from the ground, causing it to shift and rupturing the pipes running through it.

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