Published: June 30, 2009 12:02 am      

Water main burst floods downtown streets

Crews work to fix broken pipe

A burst water main caused the Kokomo Fire Department to block off parts of Union and Superior streets downtown for several hours Monday, as well as the cancellation of the regular meeting of the Kokomo Common Council.

Mark Ward, operations manager for Indiana American Water, said it would take crews most of the night, possibly into the early morning today, to fix and determine the cause of the burst water main.

“You just never really know,” Ward said. “When the temperature changes, the ground changes, which puts stress on the pipes.”

Ward said he would be able to determine the cause once crews dug up the water main.

The flood emerged from the intersection and moved south along the downgrade of Union Street.

Emergency crews blocked off Union Street between Vaile Avenue and Sycamore Street. Superior Street was blocked off between Main and Market streets.

Ward said the water main was a major feed for downtown, but it was too early to know which main it was as of Monday afternoon. He did not know at the time if water would need to be cut to any downtown buildings.

City council members did not reschedule Monday’s meeting, though they still might. The next scheduled meeting of the council is 7 p.m. July 13.

• Daniel Human is a Kokomo Tribune staff writer. He can be reached at (765) 454-8570 or at daniel.human@kokomotribune.com.