Huge water main break in Cleveland, Ohio. Downtown is dramatically flooded. Just saw on CNN headline news. Did not give reason for break in line. Sorry no link yet.

Try: www.cnn.com

will try to find and post asap.

-- Carl Jenkins (Somewherepress@aol.com), January 12, 2000

Answers

Here's the story Carl...thanks for the heads up. =)

(Fair use: for educational and research purpose only)

Water Main Breaks in Downtown Cleveland: From The Associated Press http://ap.tbo.com/ap/breaking/MGIUAAGOD3C.html Jan 12, 2000 - 08:37 PM

Water Main Breaks in Downtown Cleveland The Associated Press

CLEVELAND (AP) - A water main broke in downtown Cleveland on Wednesday, knocking out power and sending water pouring through some of the city's busiest streets. Mayor Michael R. White said the area affected by the break may not be useable until next week.

"It will definitely be closed Thursday, Friday and possibly through the weekend," White said.

The water main broke about 5:45 p.m. and knocked out power to nearby office buildings and lowered water pressure through the city and some western suburbs.

At least three cars were stuck in water a couple of feet deep. Motorists were able to leave the cars safely.

The cause of the break in the four-foot-wide pipe was unknown.

White was advising residents throughout the city to boil their water.

"I didn't know the lake (Lake Erie) came in this close," joked Zale Kesler, a businessman from Dallas who was unable to reach his hotel. "I need a boat."

-- Dee (T1Colt556@aol.com), January 12, 2000.

Here the link to the story:

http://www.cleveland.com/news

And here's a snip:

Water main breaks in downtown Cleveland 01/12/00 7:10 PM Eastern The Associated Press

CLEVELAND (AP) -- A large water main broke in downtown Cleveland on Wednesday evening, causing headaches for people trying to get home.

Water gushed down Ninth Street, one of the city's main streets. At least three cars are stuck in the water, which is a couple of feet deep. Motorists were able to leave the cars safely.

Fire and police officials closed down part of Ninth Street and are diverting rush-hour traffic. Water pressure reportedly was down in some of the Cleveland suburbs.

-- Carl Jenkins (Somewherepress@aol.com), January 12, 2000.

The buildings involved include the A. J. Celebreze Federal Building, the diocese of Cleveland Central Cathedral, Erieview and the Galleria (McKinsey and a number of firms will NOT have water/sewage), the Sheraton, and at least 2 other downtown hotels, and a host of other buildings/appartments between Lakeside and Chester, and E6th and E 12th.

Chuck

Who is REALLY waiting for the oredicted temp drop and the sleet and snow. Thursday could be REAL interesting.

-- Chuck, a night driver (rienzoo@en.com), January 12, 2000.

Here's link to previous thread posted today on water and sewage problems in Houston:

http://hv.greenspun.com/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg.tcl?msg_id=002Imb

-- Carl Jenkins (Somewherepress@aol.com), January 12, 2000.

Oh BTW the main was a 48"er, at LEAST 70 years old. And yes, some of the near West side is waterless and will be for a while.

C

-- Chuck, a night driver (rienzoo@en.com), January 12, 2000.

Conspiracy at work here: Wednesday, the CELEBREZE federal building flooded, with it's power knocked out, the same day as the CELBRATION WEDNESDAY Carnival Cruise Line Ship loses all power in the Caribbean. There is definitely a pattern appearing, and I intend to follow it.

>"<

-- Squirrel Hunter (nuts@upina.tree), January 12, 2000.

The people who stored water for Y2K are in good shape. I'll bet the ones who didn't wish they had.

Y2K was just a good excuse for beefing up general preparedness.

Y2K Kitchen

-- Sally Strackbein (sally@y2kkitchen.com), January 12, 2000.

"... but the Federal Reserve Bank maintained power". [LUCKY THEY HAD THAT GENERATOR!!]

-- Cheryl (Transplant@Oregon.com), January 12, 2000.

....My honey is from Cleveland, on the phone with a friend there as I type, who says the main was put in about 1913 (G),...and here's from the horse's mouth, The Cleveland Plain Dealer

Water main breaks in downtown Cleveland 01/12/00 7:10 PM Eastern The Associated Press

CLEVELAND (AP) -- A large water main broke in downtown Cleveland on Wednesday evening, causing headaches for people trying to get home.

Water gushed down Ninth Street, one of the city's main streets. At least three cars are stuck in the water, which is a couple of feet deep. Motorists were able to leave the cars safely.

Fire and police officials closed down part of Ninth Street and are diverting rush-hour traffic. Water pressure reportedly was down in some of the Cleveland suburbs.

No details are immediately available on the cause of the water main break or if officials have it under control yet.

The water has stretched to several blocks, forcing police to shut some of the streets down. The water on the nearby streets was not nearly as high as flooded Ninth Street.

At least one building lost power, but the Federal Reserve Bank maintained power.

Zale Kesler, a businessman from Dallas, was shocked by the amount of water flowing down the street. He was unable to get to his hotel, the Hampton Inn, which is near the water main break.

"I didn't know the lake (Lake Erie) came in this close," he joked. "I've never seen anything like this, I need a boat."



-- Donna (moment@home.com), January 13, 2000.

I understand that most of the water mains in the city of Atlanta are over 100 years old. There are severe breaks every year. One cause has been an excessively dry season, causing the soil to contract and increasing stress on the pipe. A severe break downtown a few years ago resulted from a very intense overnight rainfall -- apparently bursting a very large storm sewer. The open hole this caused ate a car (with one occupant) and half of an adjacent building.

-- Tom Carey (tomcarey@mindspring.com), January 13, 2000.

The funny part about this was, the local Fox station showed the empty grocery store shelves on the west side of town, where the bottled water should have been. Should have been, that is, because the entire supply was cleaned out in 30 MINUTES. Immediately after showing that, they showed some of the priests who live at the St. Ignatius rectory, who were doing just fine, thank you. The priest said that they were using the water they had purchased for y2k. One last thing, electrical supply problems are expected due to damage to some of the underground electrical wiring. 25,000,000 gallons (yes, twenty-five MILLION) of water in 4 hrs. can do a lot of damage.

-- Daisy Jane (deeekstrand@access1.com), January 13, 2000.

I sure thank God for this web, and that He keeps me coming to it. These last few days I have been breaking down my preps. Since reading this wed this morning, I am going to restore my preps, and do it with vigor. Yesterday I dumped four fifty five drums of water. I will today restore those, and also foodstuffs. It looks like the situation is beginning to heat up toward meltdown. Between natural causes, Flu, rumors of war, Y2K and acts of God, this world is goint to be pretty interesting these next few months. Wife person and neighbors are going to think I am crazy, and you know I am inclined to agree with them, I am crazy, and thank God for being crazy, otherwise I would not be able to do things that should be done. Have you noticed the silence of the POLLIES as of late?

-- Notforlong (fsur439@aol.com), January 13, 2000.

And it turns out that it was ONLY a 36 inch main not a 48 inch as they thought. Took them until about 5:30 to get down to it to see how big it was. Thye are closing the street and a couple buildings because of underground erosion. They have a certain amount of concern as to how much of the street(s) they are going to have to re- build.

The expectation is that they will be done around Tuesday morning, for rush hour. I'll believe this when I see it, since 36" cast iron pipe doesn't grow on trees. Nor do 5 foot lengths of street down to the sub-sub-base.....

Chuck, who is gonna have to work just a BIT harder with the street closures, tonight.

-- Chuck, a night driver (rienzoo@en.com), January 13, 2000.

Turns out they closed ALL schools in Cleveland due to the water main break. Even those not directly affected are closed. "Boil Your Water Alert" in effect until 11:00pm tonight. I wasn't affected personally, but it made me glad I still have my water stash.

-- Powder (Powder47keg@aol.com), January 13, 2000.

As for myself being a westsider, I am SOOO glad I have over 100 gallons of water stored, it did come in handy. My son had no water at all. My aunt who was a DGI till she and I conversed and she stored some water, lives on Denison Ave and had to use all her water and was told not to even brush teeth with tap water. I heard on news it will take more than 2 weeks to 'fix' the problem. Many fiber optics and utility lines under there!!!! Phone problems also...Pipe was big. Mayor announced last night that there is EXTENSIVE damage down there. He promised to have it done by 1:00 and of course it is NOT.

-- consumer (shh@aol.com), January 14, 2000.