December 23, 2008
Tuesday Headlines: Massive Water Main Break in Bethesda, Maryland
It was a harrowing experience this morning for some motorists in Bethesda, Maryland after a break in a 66-inch water main flooded a major road in Montgomery County. To make the situation even more worse the temperatures were around 15 degrees at the time of the break. Here are reports from a number of news outlets.
Here’s the raw video from CNN.
The water main broke just before 8 a.m. As many as 18 cars may have been trapped in the water, which is said to be 3 to 4 feet high in some places.
A helicopter rescued people using a basket and transported them to safety. Crews using boats and a fire truck rescued others.
WTTG-TV has video of the rescue efforts
Swift water rescue crews used a helicopter, a boat and ropes to rescue motorists trapped when a water main break sent a four-foot wall of water down River Road near Fenway Drive…
At least a dozen vehicles were trapped and 15 or 16 people were rescued, Montgomery County Fire and Rescue spokesman Pete Piringer said.
Rescuers scrambled helicopters and boats to pull commuters from frigid floodwaters unleashed by a massive water main break Tuesday on a commuter road just outside Washington.
One neighbor described the torrent as a river that filled the street after the rupture of a main measuring 5-1/2 feet in diameter.
Other Headlines
Federal officials are awaiting a report on a December 12 sewer main break in Greenwich, Connecticut that sent millions of gallons of raw sewage into the Mianus River over a four-day period.
In Kansas, cold temperatures caused a 10-inch water main to break on the Emporia State University campus at about 4 p.m. Sunday. The break also meant that water in most campus buildings had to be turned off.
A water main ruptured early Monday morning in Arcadia, California creating a large sinkhole on a residential street and interrupting water service to residents.
Palm Beach County commissioners have approved a $1.4 million contract for the rehabilitation of six lift stations within the Water Utility Department’s wastewater collection system.
Sewer Rate News
DeKalb, Illinois
Richlands, North Carolina
Waynesboro, Virginia
Water News Update will take a hiatus over the holidays but return for regular postings on January 5, when economic recovery legislation–that includes investment for water and wastewater infrastructure–will be considered in Congress. Thank you for reading and have a happy and safe holiday season.
