BELLINGHAM, Wash. — City of Bellingham officials say it could take 10 hours or more to fully repair a water main break and restore water service to customers in the vicinity of F Street and Dupont Street.
Officials say a 93-year-old 16-inch cast iron water main broke this afternoon. As a result, the water supply has been shut off to the nearby area while water from the break is running down streets and sidewalks to the west.
There have been reports of flooding in the Maritime Heritage Park area.
Streets in the area have been closed and traffic rerouted due to the flooding.
Update at 6:30pm
City officials announced they had determined a smaller main had ruptured, not the 16-inch they initially feared had. They said that was good news since the 8-inch main will take less time to repair. The intersection of F and Dupont remains closed while work continues.
Update at 10:45pm
City officials announced crews completed repairs to the broken water main. Water service has been restored and the intersection will be reopened once the roadway has been cleared and cleaned. Residents may notice murky water when they turn on the tap. That is normal, city officials say, and temporary. It’s best to run a hose (or the cold water tap) until the water runs clear.