For the second time in just over a year, a major Robbinsdale street is shut down after a water main break sent thousands of gallons of water gushing into the street.
While the knee-high water has receded, crews are working Friday to assess the damage and repair about half a mile of County Road 9, also known as 42nd Avenue N., between Hwy. 100 and W. Broadway.
The 36-inch water main pipe that burst Thursday is the same pipe that broke in June 2013, spilling 600,000 gallons of water and creating a massive 20-foot deep sinkhole off County Road 9 and Bottineau Boulevard, a couple of blocks from Thursday's break. It shut down the road for three weeks to make repairs.
Thursday's incident caused less damage and water loss because crews were able to shut off water immediately.
Crystal City Manager Anne Norris said last year's break probably was caused by a weak point in joints, but she said crews don't know yet why Thursday's break happened. The entire water line was tested last spring to make sure there were no leaks.
"Here we thought we had done everything to make sure we were in good shape," said Norris, who is on the commission that owns the water main, adding about its impact on Robbinsdale: "I feel terrible."
Unfortunately for Robbinsdale, the city is in the middle of a water pipe that doesn't even carry water to homes and businesses there, but instead serves Golden Valley, Crystal and New Hope, which buy their water from Minneapolis.
"It's a bit frustrating in that regard," said Richard McCoy, Robbinsdale's public works director, adding that he received numerous calls Friday from homeowners with sewer backup seeping into their basements because the water break blocked sewers.
