Water main break floods one lane of Lakeshore Drive

Lake Charles, LA (KPLC) -Lakeshore Drive looked like a river after a water main break downtown. About noon water began gushing from a main.

It was something to see as water filled the northbound lane. We hear a lot about deteriorating infrastructure these days, but Lake Charles city officials say it happened when a contractor installing a gas line broke a water main.

There was little or no water pressure for at least two parish buildings.

Tracy Clark works in the Magnolia building.

“We can’t use the restroom which is kind of important to most people in an office. You also can’t wash your hands. That’s really important too with what the world is like right now. Besides that, it’s still air conditioned and everything it’s just the bathroom. We have to go either to the government building or to the clerk of court to use one of their public restrooms,” said Clark.

Tax assessor Wendy Aguillard says the decision was made to send people home.

“There are some offices including the assessor’s office and I believe the sheriff’s tax collector’s office that are going to have to close for the rest of the day.”

City crews worked to identify the right valve to shut off water but didn’t seem to be having much luck.

Finally, about 2 p.m. they succeeded in stopping the water.

Kevin Heise is the city’s utilities manager.

“A contractor for the gas company laying an underground line hit the surface line to the larger building here. It was reported to the City of Lake Charles. We sent crews out, we identified the valves that service this building and we’ve closed off the valves to stop the leak and city crews will be coming out to repair the broken pipe,” said Heise.

Crews worked in the rain to finish repairs before nightfall. Heise says the water crews are working hard and doing a good job. Employees are expected to be able to return to the affected buildings in the morning.

Copyright 2022 KPLC. All rights reserved.