Ruptured City Water Main Repaired; Road Repairs Could Take Week

TAMPA — What began as a fountain of water from a broken water line quickly turned into a massive crater in the middle of Rome Avenue.

The ruptured 24-inch water transmission line resulted in the closure of a section of Rome and Henry avenues and the evacuation of eight homes in the River Bend neighborhood.

The break occurred around 5:15 p.m.. Thursday, June 7, causing a geyser of water to erupt in the middle of Rome near Hillsborough Avenue. Within hours, the rushing water formed a crater that swallowed hunks of asphalt along with a section of a homeowner's white picket fence and flooded properties.

As a precaution, the city of Tampa is urging residents in the area to boil their drinking water until further notice.

Repairs crews worked around the clock to repair the pipe. According to Tampa water services director Chuck Weber, work crews are now in the process of filling the crater.

Weber said officials aren't sure why the pipe ruptured. However, Weber pointed out that it was installed in 1954. It carries about 10 million gallons of water a day from the city’s David L. Tippin Water Treatment Facility near North 30th Street and East Slight Avenue to homes and businesses in the area.

Because of the city's aging water pipeline system, Tampa sends out three to four media alerts each week warning motorists of detours due to water main breaks. However, those breaks are usually minor and are repaired within a day.

"This is a bad one. This is a big one," said Weber during a press conference.

While the water line has now been repaired, Weber said it could take a week to repair the damage to Rome and Henry avenues.

Video via city of Tampa