The Portland Water Bureau has finished replacing a section of 30-inch water main that failed on Saturday, inundating Northeast Portland near the Alberta Arts District for hours.
“Crews were working around the clock. As of about 7 o'clock this morning the final piece of that pipe had been connected, replaced and buried,” said Tony Andersen.
With the pipe repaired, the Portland Bureau of Transportation will begin working on the damaged streets in the area.
Homeowners and businesses that suffered property damage can file claims with the city of Portland’s Risk Management Department.
The pipe that ruptured dates from 1915. The bureau is still making a final determination on what caused it to fail. Anderson says the pipe suffered a horizontal break along its length.
“There’s a pretty decent chunk out of the side of it,” he said.
The old pipe did not appear corroded, according to Anderson, and recent freezing and thawing may have played a role in its failure.
The Portland Water Bureau reports about 200 water main breaks a year, but it’s rare for such a large main to fail.