Update: Water floods East Pierce intersection after workers hit line. Here’s what we know
Update as of 2:30 p.m.: City spokesperson Carmen Palmer said it turned out the water line was the only pipe affected. Silt and soil made the water brown.
The hole in the pipe is about 5 inches. The hole in the ground is bigger, Palmer said. It’s unknown when the intersection will reopen to drivers.
About 10 residents living along Wood Avenue between Maple Street and Academy Street don’t have water, Palmer said. It’s unclear when water will be restored.
Initial post: There’s a messy intersection travelers may want to avoid in Sumner.
The Wood Avenue and Maple Street intersection is covered with sewage. The Sumner Police Department posted 10:25 a.m. Tuesday, Aug. 1, on social media that a private company hit a sewer line nearby.
Crews were still working to clear the intersection as of 11:49 a.m., Palmer told The News Tribune.
Drivers should use Academy Street as a detour, the police department wrote in the social media post.
Palmer said Fatbeam, a telecommunications company, was drilling into the ground that morning and hit a sewer line.
A water line may have been impacted also, Palmer said. The city is still figuring out which properties are affected.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
This story was originally published August 1, 2023 at 1:04 PM.
