Update on broken water main on 15th NE

Site of broken water main, 15th NE at NE 196th
Photo courtesy North City Water District

A water main broke in the area of NE 196th and 15th Ave NE late in the afternoon of Monday, December 11, 2023. Our crews mobilized and arrived onsite to begin the repair shortly after we realized what was happening. 

The Shoreline Fire Department did a great job blocking traffic in the intersection with the ladder truck. The Lake Forest Park Police Department did a great job of directing traffic away from the area. 

The City of Shoreline Public Works Department helped by donating their traffic cones and barricades, and road signs again to keep the public away while our crews dug down through asphalt to find the water main. 

The District’s vactor truck was used extensively to remove the moist soil in the area significantly quicker than it could have if it had to have been done by hand. Given that the water main was buried over 5 feet in this area, it would have taken a long time.

Approximately a dozen homes were without water for the evening until just before midnight, after a repair band was placed around the water main and the area backfilled. Crews cleaned up most of the area until shortly after 2:00am then returned first thing in the morning to finishing cleaning up the site.

We want to thank everyone for all their help, and especially the passerby who called in and reported the break. We wouldn’t have been able to make such a quick response to fix this break without their help.

--Diane Pottinger, District Manager, North City Water District