SAN ANTONIO – Crews with the San Antonio Water System are working to fix three overnight water main breaks throughout the city.
According to an official with the San Antonio Water System, three water main breaks occurred overnight on Hot Wells Boulevard, Olive Street and Pecan Valley Drive.
Police spotted one of the water main breaks on Hot Wells Boulevard early Saturday morning. The main broke in front of a home in the 300 block of Hot Wells Boulevard.
Water traveled for several blocks to South Presa, where water began to accumulate near homes in the area.
"I was hearing all this commotion going on and everything so I was trying to figure out what's going on," said one resident, Connie Alvarez. "And then I come out and I look at all that's going on and then I try to check to see if I have any water and I have no water."
The street was shut down to fix the water main break and work on the street is expected to be complete Saturday afternoon.
Alvarez said something similar happened last summer, but farther down the street. SAWS officials said the heat causes the ground to shift, bursting pipes in the process.
Mark Torres said he's lived on Hot Wells Boulevard for several years and has seen four water main breaks in that time period.
“The first time it happened was right in front of the driveway and actually the pavement was floating,” Torres said. “Then, it happened in front of my neighbor's (house). Then, it happened at a driveway over there, now here.”
Cindy Alvarez, another woman who has a home on Hot Wells Boulevard said the commotion woke her up, but didn't upset her.
“I mean mother nature, what can we do?,” she said. “I mean we just have to go with the punches, that’s all we can do.”
SAWS sent the following statement to KSAT 12 Saturday:
During hot dry times like this, clay soils contract pulling away from pipes and leaving them prone to main breaks. SAWS has increased crews in anticipation. To assist the public can report main breaks to 704-SAWS with detailed information on the exact location of the break and description of the volume of water escaping.
REPORT WATER MAIN BREAKS TO 704-SAWS WITH DETAILED INFORMATION