SPANISH FORK, Utah, May 6, 2023 (Gephardt Daily) — Life is almost back to normal after a major water main break in Spanish Fork washed away a large portion of the road in a residential neighborhood near 800 East and Center Street.
Nick Porter, spokesman for Spanish Fork City, said when the break was discovered, the water was cut off, and the gapping hole it created was cleared out so pipe repairs could be made.
The hole has been refilled with stabilizing materials, and tamped down. The roadway is still waiting a layer of asphalt over the top, Porter said, but is “drivable” for motorists now.
About 10 houses had to have their water cut off Friday afternoon, but all had it restored about six hours later, he said. And “a couple did have some flooding in their basements, and we’re working through our insurance to get them all taken care of and made whole.”
Porter said Spanish Fork’s water pipes are well maintained, but with the ground affected by freezes and thaws that can shift the soil, not all breaks are predictable.
“We always have more this time of year,” he said.
“After the the water main broke, it washed out part of the road, which created the sinkhole. But as the road collapsed, that also crushed our pressurized irrigation line,” Porter said. “So that was out of service for a short time as well while we got that repaired. It was a big job, but they did it. (The repair crews) did a great job.”
Porter said 8th East “kind of became a river that crossed Center Street.”
Other than the damage to one or two homeowners, the operation went about as well as it could have, he said.
“It’s mostly good news. We actually had a contractor working just right on that intersection, and they’re the ones that helped to report it and then they just moved their equipment and got to work helping to fix the problem.”
The main that cracked open had a long break in it, Porter said.
Multiple Facebook commenters seemed to appreciate the timing of the break.
“And on Sinko-de-mayo!,” one of several posters noted, referencing the annual Cinco de Mayo celebration on May 5.
“I have a kayak you can borrow if you need it. And I think my son has some snorkeling gear,” wrote another.
“Mud wrestling anyone?,” wrote a third.
“That made after school very exciting!,” said another.
The sinkhole was in the area of Park Elementary and Diamond Fork Middle School.
See more photos of the repair operation below.
