Water Main Break Disrupts Water Service to South Lake Union Area

Break Results in Reports of Discolored Water Across the Downtown

SEATTLE — A broken 20-inch water main this morning in the vicinity of Dexter Ave. N. and Harrison St. disrupted water service to 26 businesses near the break, and resulted in reports of discolored water and drops in water pressure across a large swath of downtown.

The water main, which was broken around 8 a.m. by a contractor doing street repair work, cut off water to customers on Dexter Ave., between Mercer and Denny. The break resulted in customer calls about discolored water in an area roughly bounded by the Ship Canal to the north, and Airport Way to the south, and Interstate 5 to the east and the waterfront to the west.

Water flow to the break was shut off by Seattle Public Utilities (SPU) crews by about 10:15 this morning. Water service to the affected area was expected to be completed by 9 p.m. this evening.

At 10:50 this morning, SPU was still pumping water out of a 5-foot-deep hole caused by the break. Once the water has been pumped out, the crews will work on repairing a three-foot section of the cast iron 20-inch main.

Seattle Public Utilities is providing bottled water to local businesses until the pipe is repaired.

Customers experiencing discolored water are advised to try running the water for a few minutes to see if it is clearing or still discolored. If the water does not clear, let the water sit for an hour. Then run the water for a few minutes and flush the toilet a couple of times. If the water remains discolored, please contact Customer Service.

In addition to providing a reliable water supply to more than 1.3 million customers in the Seattle metropolitan area, SPU provides essential sewer, drainage, solid waste and engineering services that safeguard public health, maintain the city’s infrastructure and protect, conserve and enhance the region's environmental resources.