Sunday, June 4, 2017

6-inch cast iron water main ruptures in Belmont, California; 120,000 gallons of water created flooding conditions and caused home evacuations










Belmont water main break spills 120K gallons 

June 03, 2017

 


BELMONT, CALIFORNIA:

Belmont fire and police units responded to a report of a flooding condition at a home on the 2800 block of San Juan Boulevard early Friday morning.

An early-morning water main break Friday resulted in four Belmont homes being temporarily evacuated and the loss of approximately 120,000 gallons of water which flowed for approximately two hours, according to police.

At approximately 3:45 a.m., Belmont fire and police units responded to a report of a flooding condition at a home on the 2800 block of San Juan Boulevard. Upon arrival, first responders quickly found that the water was coming from the 2600 block of Monserat Avenue, which is up hill from the San Juan address. Emergency crews from the Mid-Peninsula Water District were called out and arrived within an hour, according to police.

It was determined that the water was coming from cast iron 6-inch main, which had failed. The pipe had been installed in the 1950s and connected the water main on Monserat Avenue to another water main on San Juan Boulevard. Initially, the residents in four homes, two on Monserat Avenue, one on San Juan Boulevard and one on Monte Cresta Avenue, were advised to evacuate as a precaution. The American Red Cross responded to provide assistance to the dozen affected residents, according to police.

At approximately 6 a.m., the water flow was shut off and there were no injuries. While water service to approximately 20 homes on Monserat Avenue was briefly interrupted, normal water service was restored. Structural engineers are being consulted regarding possible damage to the home on Monserat Avenue, adjacent to the water main break, and to the home on San Juan Boulevard. Geotechnical engineers and arborists will be checking the hillside between Monserat Avenue and San Juan Boulevard for issues related to erosion, according to police.

A video of the water while it was flowing can be viewed on the Belmont Public Safety YouTube Channel at youtube.com/belmontpublicsafety. -