Water main break disrupts traffic, business in downtown Henderson

By Jeremy Twitchell

Published Tuesday, March 31, 2009 | 2:40 p.m.

Updated Tuesday, March 31, 2009 | 4:15 p.m.

A privately owned water main ruptured on Water Street this morning, sending a cascade of water through downtown Henderson and onto Lake Mead Parkway.

The break caused flooding that disrupted traffic and business and forced police to close two blocks of Water Street.

The break, which happened at Water Street and Pacific Avenue, was in a water main owned by Basic Water Co., a subsidiary of Basic Management Inc., that supplies water to the BMI Complex on the north side of Lake Mead Parkway, said Henderson Department of Utility Services spokeswoman Kathleen Richards.

“We’re cooperating with them in every way we can, but they are pressing to get those repairs done,” Richards said.

Richards said she didn’t know exactly when, where, or how the break occurred.

Basic Water Co. representative Amy Maier said she could not comment about the cause of the rupture, but said crews are working on fixing it.

"The company is obviously aware of the situation," Maier said. "They sent officials to the site immediately and repairs are underway."

Police closed Water Street for two blocks, from Army to Victory roads. The break caused water to spew out of the middle of Water Street at Pacific Road, then collect on the west side of Water Street and flow north toward Lake Mead Parkway.

Traffic on Lake Mead Parkway had to slow down because of the water flowing across the road. Drains on Lake Mead caught most of the runoff, but some of it flowed into the parking lot at St. Rose Hospitals — Rose de Lima Campus on the northwest corner of Lake Mead Parkway and Water Street.

With part of the road closed and drivers being directed away from the area, business owners along the impacted stretch of Water Street had little to do but wait and watch the water flow by.

Instead of attending to customers, Motor City Coney Island worker Patty Batwinas spent what should have been the lunch rush standing on the sidewalk and attending to the occasional straggler who made it to the restaurant.

She said the water main had already broken when she arrived at 10 a.m.

“I’m just concerned with how long it’s going to be before they can stop it,” she said. “I don’t know if I should shut down or stick it out.”

A few buildings down, at the corner of Victory Road, ABC Therapy employee Maria Funez said the water wasn’t causing any major problems.

“Accidents happen,” Funez said. “I don’t think anybody did that on purpose. It’s like anything else in life, accidents happen and they need to be taken care of. No big deal.”