Water main breaks in downtown Dallas, causing flooding in Akard and surrounding streets

A ruptured water line on North Akard Street in downtown Dallas caused extensive pavement damage and minor flooding on the streets Tuesday afternoon.

Dallas Water Utilities spokeswoman Estela Ornelas said a 12-inch water pipe ruptured in the area around 1 p.m. Tuesday. It was not known when the repairs would be completed.

The disruption did not affect service to utility customers in the region, Ornelas said.

The line has been put under additional stress as crews repair a 72-inch main line that feeds the area, she said.

“While the 72 inch [water main] is down, there is increased flow and pressure on all pipelines in the region to maintain service delivery, ”Ornelas said. “The 72-inch waterline is expected to be back online this weekend.”

At around 4:30 p.m. Akard was closed south of Patterson Street. Water could be seen seeping from a crack of about 4 inches in the roadway.

Isabel Chavez, who works in a taqueria inside an office building at the intersection, said water was gushing out of the crack around 1 p.m. The flooding frightened some of the restaurant’s customers, she said.

“At first the street was broken, then there was a lot of water,” Chavez said. “Customers canceled their orders and said ‘Goodbye’.

On Wednesday in Old East Dallas, a water main rupture on Ross Avenue, just east of the North Central Expressway service road, caused flooding in Ross for several hours.

Service to that water line was restored on Friday, Ornelas said. Repairs and cleanup are underway, she said, but no completion deadline has been communicated.