An estimated two dozen homes north of Flagstaff Medical Center were without water for 12 hours on Tuesday after a 50-year-old water main burst.
The break in the water line on Fir Avenue caused asphalt to buckle on the street and a sinkhole was created where the water had undermined the street.
Some households experienced flooding as a result of the pre-dawn incident.
The break was reported at about 4:30 on Tuesday morning, according to Brad Hill, the city’s utilities director.
Hill said the water line had been identified for replacement as part of the utility’s maintenance program.
Councilmember Jeff Oravits said the unexpected break in the 50-year-old line is another example of why the city needs to put more money into replacing aging utility lines and into street maintenance.
He said it costs the city considerably more to make repairs on an emergency basis that it does to replace those same lines as part of a regular upgrade program before they break down.
— Sun staff report
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