Water Main Break Creates Geyser In Lawrence Co.
UNION TOWNSHIP (KDKA) -- A wild water main break sent water shooting high into the air and created a layer of ice on just about everything nearby in a Lawrence County neighborhood this morning.
The 12-inch main broke around 6 a.m. in the 400-block of Scotland Lane in Union Township.
Joe Anton lives on the street.
"I got up at 5 o'clock. I was going to go hunting and I heard water running, so I thought I had a water leak in my cellar, so I went downstairs to look and no water leak," said Anton.
The leak was outside and it was massive.
At points, the geyser was shooting 35 feet into the sky.
"I went out the cellar door and when I did, I could hear it, and then all the sudden I could see it," said Anton. "That's when it came through the ground and it was swooshing like crazy."
Anton noticed that the water was hitting his neighbor's home, and that's when he called 911.
He says it took more than two hours for crews with Pennsylvania American Water to turn off the water.
The water quickly coated power lines, trees, the street and grass all in ice.
A spokesperson with Pennsylvania American Water says the break happened in between shifts and valve turn offs need to be done slowly and carefully, rushing to turn off the water risks breaking valves and cutting off service to more customers.
Once the water was off, a disaster restoration team arrived on scene to survey the damage with property owners.
Officials say approximately six customers were without water during the break and repairs, several others in the area may have experienced low pressure.
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