Crews working to fix water main break in Clovis

CLOVIS, Calif. (KFSN) -- Streets in a Clovis neighborhood turned into rivers just after 6 a.m. Friday.

A water main break at Elm and Sierra send water flowing into streets, alleyways, and yards.

Clovis Public Utilities Director, Scott Redelfs said his crews turned off the water immediately, giving them time to track down the break in the pipe.

"And then we will expose it. We will find out where the break was and why it happened. We will replace it and put the pipe back together," said Redelfs.

The water was shut off to several homes for about an hour.

When the water level dropped crews began digging to take out the broken pipe.

What caused the break has not been determined but crews know the 12-inch pipe can be fragile.

"It is PBC. And so there is always the potential that there could be a failure with a burst or a hairline crack or at the collars where they connect," said Redelfs.

People several blocks way stepped out the door to find their front yard under water.

"I just happened to go out and get my newspaper. There was no newspaper. It was washed away and was solid water straight up to here," said Bill King, Clovis.

While King only had minor damage to his lawn his neighbor up the street had the worst damage.

Aly Carpenter says the water flooded her basement.

"It is in our crawl space and it is up pretty high and all along the side of our house. The city said that we have one of worst damaged properties," said Carpenter.

City crews will help Carpenter clean up her home.

While repair work on the pipe should be complete by Friday evening the road will not be repaved until next Monday or Tuesday.