Multiple agencies responded to the break, which happened Friday evening.
AUSTIN, Texas — Multiple agencies responded to a massive water line break in North Austin Friday evening.
The break was reported around 5:30 p.m. Friday along West Wells Branch Parkway when officials said a contractor hit a 24-inch line during a bore.
Gallons of water sprayed into the air and over near the Milan Apartments, which is located in front of where the water main break happened.
Wells Branch MUD District Manager Shirley Ross told KVUE that the complex was without water and would remain so as repairs were made.
Other customers in the area will also be affected and alerted when that notice is prompted.
“These things happen,” said Ross. “We try to avoid them, obviously, as much as possible. They don’t happen very often, thank goodness. And we just want to make the repair as much as possible so that our customers are not inconvenienced for very long.”
Crews had responded to reports of the broken water line, which caused a big rig to drive through and fall into a washed-out area of the road.
The driver, named Ruben, explained how the road was swamped with water and how traffic had been backed up before he wound up in the hole.
“I was getting over somebody finally let me in, and I’m trying to get over to the left,” Ruben said. “And this other idiot, he came to cut me off. He was going to hit me. So, I had to get back to the right. And all of a sudden, I go into the sinkhole, it opens and cratered as I was passing through.”
Officials said the break occurred on a big line that’s deep in the ground, which took several hours to control and shut off, which happened at roughly around 10 p.m. when repairs rapidly began.
Ross said crews will remain on site repairing the line until it is fixed.
No injuries were reported in the incident.
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Here’s the full statement released by Travis County ESD No. 2:
“Today [we] responded to reports of a broken water line at the 1720 block of W Wells Branch Parkway. Upon arrival crews made contact with a boring company who was onsite. Shortly after a 18-wheeler drove through and fell into a washed out area closeby. No injuries were reported and west bound Wells Branch is closed. Representatives on scene discovered that a Crossroads Utility Services water line was impacted.”