Pipe break in Newport spills 1 million gallons of water

A water main break in Newport Beach spilled an estimated million gallons of water into the street and an underground parking structure early Wednesday, according to the Irvine Ranch Water District.

Officials said a 10-inch pipe burst around 2 a.m. near MacArthur Boulevard and Von Karman Avenue.

Crews immediately headed to the scene and isolated the leak, according to water district spokeswoman Beth Beeman.

“We got here very quickly and managed to get everything shut off,” she said.

Beeman estimated the pipe would be fixed between 11 a.m. and noon Wednesday, but she added that cleanup and repairs to the street would take longer.

As part of that process, crews are pumping water out of the parking structure that flooded, but that water will not usable, Beeman said.

Local TV broadcasts showed cars in the structure that were almost completely submerged. Beeman said the water district is working to determine how much damage was caused by the flooding.

Officials don’t yet know what caused the break.

Beeman said the pipe was relatively new, installed sometime in the 1980s.

The leak also caused traffic headaches.

Police originally closed the entire westbound side of Von Karman between MacArthur and Birch Street because of the flooding. They have reopened all but one lane, according to water district officials.