SIOUX CITY, IA -
The drought is causing plenty of problems this year, but the last thing many expected was a flood.
Three water main breaks in just a few hours wreaked havoc in downtown Sioux City this morning, from Lewis Boulevard to the Orpheum Theatre to just outside Palmers Candies, and the drought may be partially to blame.
Drivers sat in traffic a good two blocks down the road on Lewis Boulevard, unable to go straight.
"I need to get across town. I'm in town trying to make sales calls to people and I just can't get anywhere. So it's just a pain in the butt right now," said Tony Laleman.
The reason for the hold-up? A water main break ahead of them.
Sioux City Underground Utility Services were digging out a broken water pipe, forcing them to shutdown a section of this busy street.
"There was localized flooding from the water coming up. Then they got the water main shutdown and called for locates to try to dig to find the location of the break," said Tim Higgins with Underground Utility Services.
And it's not an easy fix.
"We had to cut out some section of pipe because the pipe had a hole in it and we're gonna put in a new piece of pipe," said Higgins.
Installing that pipe caused a headache for drivers.
"Yes, it's very frustrating because I have a doctor appointment and I am late," said Molli Sammons.
The crew working on the Lewis break had been working on repairs since 10 o'clock Wednesday night. And to top it all off, on the other side of town, there are other water main breaks.
The water pipe under the Orpheum Theatre busted open causing water to pour into the theatre's basement.
Luckily, the city says there's minimal damage to the carpet.
And over on Perry Street next to Palmers Candies, a third water main break.
Here there is no damage except the road.
The big question is: How did three of them happen so close together?
"Because it's been so dry the ground moves at different rates when it gets really dry. So that's caused some of our issues. Plus, we've been making some changes with the water treatment plant and the new Southbridge plant coming online. A lot of different factors that are going on that are results of this," said Higgins.
Higgins says his crew's been fixing a bunch of water main breaks this year.
He just asks drivers to be patient and understand they don't like to have to fix them anymore than you like to have to go around them.
