For More Information Contact:
Joe Harwood, 541-543-5788
Eugene Water & Electric Board

Sept. 15, 2011
Final update, 9:15 p.m.

Water main repaired, crews clear scene at 9 p.m.

A Eugene Water & Electric Board water repair crew has completed repairs to an broken 8-inch water main running beneath the Delta Highway southbound off-ramp to Valley River Center. Crews finished work and cleared the area at about 9 p.m.

The Thursday afternoon main break forced EWEB to close two of the three lanes of the off-ramp as it approaches the intersection of Valley River Way and Valley River Drive, along with a portion of the intersection.

It is unclear what caused the cast iron pipe to break. However, EWEB is in the fourth year of a major infrastructure upgrade project that involves replacing old and brittle cast iron and concrete pipes with more durable ductile iron pipes. Crews suspect the cast iron pipe, approximately 50 years old, broke due to its age.

No customers or fire hydrants in the area were without water service during the event.