It will likely take a few days to fully evaluate the extent of damage a water main break that occurred early this morning did to a downtown section of Yakima Avenue and to determine what repairs will need to be made to the roadway. Until a more complete assessment is completed, Yakima Avenue between 1st Street and 2nd Street will remain closed.
However, water service to the buildings affected by the break has now been restored.
The break in the 12-inch water main occurred under Yakima Avenue in front of Santiago’s Gourmet Mexican Restaurant and Vida Rug & Home Gallery. The break was discovered at about 5:00 am today and was responded to quickly by crews from the City of Yakima Water/Irrigation Division.
Water service to Santiago’s, Vida Rug & Home Gallery, the Wells Fargo Bank branch at 101 East Yakima Avenue, and two vacant buildings east of Vida Rug & Home Gallery was shut off while repairs to the main were made. Water service was restored to those building shortly after 2:00 pm today.
It’s likely that portions of Yakima Avenue between 1st Street and 2nd Street will need to be stabilized and repaved. How significant the street repairs will be won’t be known until soils below the roadway have a chance to dry out and settle. A section of sidewalk adjacent to where the water main break occurred has been undermined and will have to be removed and replaced.
“There will certainly be some inconvenience caused while road and sidewalk damage is more thoroughly assessed and repairs can be completed,” said Communications & Public Affairs Director Randy Beehler. “Access to the business along that one-block section of Yakima Avenue will be maintained as best as possible and the necessary repairs will be made as quickly as they can be,” said Beehler.
Although water and mud flowed across streets and sidewalks within several blocks of the break, only Vida Rug & Home Gallery appears to have suffered much water damage. Santiago’s, Wells Fargo, the nearby vacant buildings, and a Subway restaurant on the corner of 2nd Street and Yakima Avenue have reported minimal water intrusion.
“Most of the attention so far today has been focused on addressing the immediate need to repair the break in the main,” said Beehler. “The break will be fixed and water service will be turned back on later today. Then we’ll start taking a closer look at the full extent of whatever damage may have been caused by the break.”
Additional information about roadway repairs that will be needed, how long traffic in the area will be impacted, and any other effects of the water main break will be provided as it becomes available.