Large main break causes discolored water in West Portland - Oct. 5, 2024

News Article

A large main break in NW Portland on Oct. 5 caused discolored water throughout West Portland.

PORTLAND, OR - Portland Water Bureau crews are on the scene of a large main break that occurred around 9:30 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 5 near N.W. 29^th/31^st and N.W. Yeon. The break caused discolored water throughout Northwest Portland and parts of Southwest Portland.

"Your public health and access to your drinking water are our top priorities. Water main breaks can't be predicted - one of the challenges of underground infrastructure - but we know that they can cause significant difficulties for our community members, especially our small businesses," said Water Bureau Director Edward Campbell. "Our skilled crews work around the clock 365 days a year. Rest assured, they're working hard to get fresh water back to Portlanders taps as soon as possible."

Crews are on the scene, working to repair the main as quickly as possible. About 15 properties are without water service. A precautionary boil water notice is being delivered only to those properties.

While a small number of properties are out of water, the break caused discoloration experienced by many properties throughout Northwest Portland and some of Southwest Portland. The discoloration is caused by a fine, organic sediment that is always present in our pipes that was temporarily stirred up by the main break. The water is treated, and no boil water notice is being issued for those experiencing the discolored water. However, discolored water is not the quality of water the Portland Water Bureau prefers to serve. If you're experiencing discolored water at your property, you can rely on your emergency water supply or bottled water for drinking and food preparation until the water runs clear. Here are tips on what to do if you're experiencing discolored water.

Flushing crews have been dispatched to increase water flow in the area and push fresh clear water through the system as quickly as possible. And as of 4 p.m. Saturday, residents in the are started reporting that they were experience clear water. You can expect to see the water continue to clear as the water moves.

Traffic
There are no significant traffic impacts at this time. Due to the large size of the main, 16 inches, it could take many hours to repair. Crews are working to determine the extent of the damage and the duration of the repair. The bureau will issue traffic advisories and update on X/twitter (@portlandwater) if there are significant changes.

Visit this page for more information on how we repair main breaks.