The rupture meant that about 50 Vondelpark residents west of Centennial Boulevard in the Holland Park area were without water for several hours and into the night. Colorado Springs Utilities crews were hopeful of restoring service by 10 p.m., according to spokesperson Steve Barry.
After the break, the street was impassable for about an hour between Centennial and Michener Drive. That was also about the time it took for crews to shut off the water to the area.
“A lot of people were stuck in the road down in the middle of the street,” reported Katie Queen, a resident in the Vondelpark neighborhood.
The break was so spectacular that one of the two neighborhood damage reports involved rocks hitting a house roof after being shot there by the gushing water. Another neighbor reported flooding in his garage, Barry said.
The cause of the break was unknown as of May 3. Barry said the line was installed in 1979 about 7 feet below the street. When it broke, the pressure forced the water up through the dirt and pavement, creating a hole and pavement depression at the spot.
Asked how much water was lost as a result of the break, Barry said he did not know, but noted that Colorado Springs Utilities' annual water loss (including breaks and hydrant leakage) is 8 percent, compared to the national average of 18 percent.
Westside Pioneer article