Salt Lake road flooded by 12 inches

Salt Lake City crews spent Tuesday evening clearing floodwater and shutting down part of a road after a transmission water main broke near 120 W 1300 South, sending water across the street and into nearby gutters. ABC4 reported the break happened near Lucky 13 after multiple reports of water bubbling up from the roadway. Salt Lake City police said water reached nearly 12 inches at its deepest point, enough to block traffic and force temporary closures. Businesses in the area were expected to be without water until about 10 p.m., and Jefferson Street was set to remain closed until about 9:30 p.m., according to the report. ### Where did the flooding happen, and how bad was it? The break was reported near 120 W 1300 South in Salt Lake City, an area by the Lucky 13 restaurant, according to ABC4. The station said crews were dispatched after callers reported water bubbling up through the roadway, a sign that pressure below the street had forced water to the surface. Salt Lake City police told ABC4 that standing water was nearly 12 inches deep at the worst spots. (abc4.com) A nearby Utah Transit Authority station reported between 6 and 7 inches of water accumulation, suggesting the flooding varied by block and drainage conditions. ### What did crews do first? Crews shut off the water in the street after arriving at the scene, ABC4 reported. (abc4.com) The immediate work focused on stopping the flow, clearing the roadway and draining water from gutters so traffic could resume. Salt Lake City’s Public Utilities Department says emergency water outages can happen at any hour when a water main breaks or other critical repairs are needed. (abc4.com) The department says those events are treated as high priority and that crews work to contain outages to the smallest possible area while restoring service as quickly as possible. ### Why can a single main break close a road so quickly? (abc4.com) A transmission line break can push large volumes of water onto the street in minutes, especially when pressure forces water upward through pavement or joints in the roadway. In this case, ABC4 reported that the first sign was water bubbling up from the road before the street was overtaken by standing water. (slc.gov) Salt Lake City Public Utilities says emergency shutoffs are authorized when crews need to repair or relay mains, hydrants or other connections. The department says repair times can be hard to predict because underground work can be complicated by site conditions and the extent of the damage. ### Were homes or businesses affected beyond the street itself? Businesses near the break were expected to lose water service until about 10 p.m. (abc4.com) Tuesday, according to ABC4. The station also reported that Jefferson Street would stay shut until about 9:30 p.m. while crews finished cleanup. Salt Lake City Public Utilities advises residents and businesses during emergency outages not to interfere with work zones and to limit how often they test faucets while service is being restored. (slc.gov) The department says trapped air and pressure changes can affect plumbing when water returns. ### What should residents do if they see another break? Salt Lake City Public Utilities says anyone with a water, sewer or stormwater emergency should call its 24-hour emergency line at 801-483-6700. (abc4.com) The department’s website says emergency outages are sometimes unavoidable during main breaks and that crews aim to restore service as quickly as possible. By late Tuesday, Salt Lake City police told ABC4 the roads were cleared of flooding, though crews were still working to remove water from the gutters. (slc.gov) The cause of the transmission line break remained under investigation, ABC4 said. (abc4.com) (slc.gov)