Water Main Ruptures on 13th Street

Updated 10:49 a.m. to include additional information about customers losing water services due to the main break and 7:52 a.m. Monday to update repair info.

A six-inch water main at the corner of 13th Street and Donax Avenue Sunday morning, Cal-America Water officials said. The street was dug up to repair the pipe and figure out what happened. Work will continue Monday to 

The Imperial Beach Fire Department and San Diego County Sheriff Department deputies were called to the scene around 6 a.m. and water continued to gush from under the street until about 7:45 a.m.

Southbound 13th Street traffic from Palm Avenue to Donax Avenue have been closed as a result and is likely to continue. There are no estimates on how long it will take to make repairs.

"It's a six-inch main line, and right now our guys are going out there," said Brian Baretto, Southern California External Affairs Manager for Cal-Am. "They're going to access the situation, excavate the main line and figure out the measures needed to get the main line fixed."

About 50 customers lost water services Sunday morning, which was restored around 2 p.m. Others may have expereinced low pressure. 

By afternoon the the leak in the six-inch pipe was found and replaced, and asphault and street surfacing was replaced. The cause of the break is unknown and may not ever be understood, Baretto said. 

"It's kind of hard to tell. Some people say it's age deprived. Some say it's the ground the pipe is in," he said.

The age of the pipe will not be available until Monday.