Monday's Earthquake Triggered Water Main Breaks In East Bay

More than half a dozen water mains ruptured in the East Bay on Monday, mostly in and around the areas affected by a magnitude 4.0 earthquake Monday morning, according to the East Bay Municipal Water District.

“We had at least seven high priority main breaks and six are in the strong shake zone or within half a mile of the fault line,” District spokeswoman Tracie Morales-Noisy said.

“On average we receive two to three main breaks per day, so this is slightly more than double what we receive on any given Monday,” she added. “This has our crews working very hard.”

• Previous: 4.0-Magnitude Earthquake This Morning In East Bay!

At least five of the breaks were located in Oakland and all of them were older cast iron pipes, according to Morales-Noisy.

She said the incident serves as a reminder of the infrastructure hazards of a major seismic event like the Loma Prieta earthquake of 1989.

“We could see hundreds or thousands of main breaks, and it would have an enormous impact,” Morales-Noisy said. “We recommend that customers have a minimum of three to seven days worth of water in their home in the event of a major water emergency.”

She advised area residents to keep at least one to two gallons of water per day for each person in the home. “It doesn’t have to be a major emergency, it could be just a main break,” Morales-Noisy said. “Things are unpredictable, and you never know when you’ll need a water supply.”

• Also see: Maybe You’re Ready For An Earthquake, But What About Fido?

--Bay City News

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