Broken Water Main Floods Sherman Oaks Neighborhood
SHERMAN OAKS (CBS) — A broken city water main sent a deluge of water down a steep hillside in Sherman Oaks Sunday, flooding streets and yards and filling a swimming pool with mud.
"We had hundreds of gallons that were running down the street," said Fire Department Battalion Chief Steve Ruda, adding that the "water was overflowing the curb and cascading into two yards."
An eight-inch water pipe broke Sunday afternoon near Valley Vista Boulevard in Sherman Oaks, according to Department of Water and Power spokesperson Maychelle Yee.
Water was reportedly running downhill from Valley Vista Boulevard north to yards in the 14800 block of Sutton Street, near Kester Avenue.
The torrent of water sent mud flowing into yards but no water entered any homes.
About 30 to 40 customers lost water service, Yee said.
Department of Water and Power crews were able to stanch the water after about an hour.
Firefighters were able to fill several three-inch-diameter fire hoses and use them as flexible dikes to direct water away from houses, Ruda said. The wasted water was pouring into storm drains on Sutton Street, then flowing to the L.A. River.
Valley Vista was closed between Kester Avenue and Crisp Canyon Road, but
the street was reopened at about 4 p.m., Yee said.
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