HOUSTON, Texas — People who live off the East Loop near Clinton anxiously await the completion of pipe repairs days after water inundated the area and prompted a virtually city-wide boil water notice.
“I left that day, I think around 11:30 a.m. or noon," said neighbor Bobby Teamer. "And they were digging right in front, so no big deal. "Then I got a phone call about 30 minutes later and someone said 'come get your dad out here, it’s flooding.'”
Houston Public Works posted a pic of what it calls “the culprit.” -- a 96-inch water main that suddenly burst last Thursday as inspectors investigated a small leak.
The department also posted a photo of a replacement pipe.
We're told final welding and grouting work is underway to the line that services a huge portion of Houston.
“I mean, it was just very unexpected,” said Corelli's Bistro manager Nereyda Garcia.
Corelli’s, located in the Galleria area, is a long way from where the water main broke. But the restaurant was still impacted.
"We had to buy our own soft drinks, even though we have the soda machines here," said Garcia. "We had to buy our own ice, we had to boil the water."
Some businesses, and even entire buildings, were still unable to open even after the boil water notice was lifted this weekend.
That's because they had to replace filtration systems and other things.
“I just hope it doesn’t happen again,” said Garcia.
Workers will disinfect and chlorinate the new piping before water moves through it again.
Repairing a portion of Clinton Drive could take several weeks.
"Things happen, you know?" said Teamer. "Just resolve it as soon as possible and, you know, keep going.”
Houston Public Works was not yet willing to estimate the cost of repairs.
But we're told the city will foot the bill because it’s part of a larger infrastructure project in the area.
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