Water gushed from a broken water main in Bellevue's Somerset Woods neighborhood early on Nov. 17, flooding the basements of about six homes.

City of Bellevue utilities crews responded to the incident around 4 a.m. and established temporary water service for affected residences by 10:30 a.m.

The break occurred on the 14700 block of Southeast 46th Street, where a 10-inch pipe released around 569,000 gallons of water that went spilling down 147th Avenue Southeast.

Water forced its way to the surface, causing ripples along much of the roadway along 147th Avenue Southeast and depositing over four inches of sediment along parts of the street.

"The pavement kind of rolls right now," said Bellevue utilities crew leader David Eich. "It's a mess right now, but we're doing the best we can.

"The storm drain didn't back up, which is good. It could have been a lot worse."

Utilities crews dug up the water main and pumped out water to determine the cause of the break.

Eich suggested that the problem may have occurred because of an aging pipe.

Residents in the area said water main breaks are common in the Somerset Woods neighborhood.

"It's happened before, right out in front of our house," said Betty Horodel, who lives on 147th Avenue Southeast. "They keep repairing it.

"I think the pipelines are just getting too old, and they're not working on stuff as much as they should be."

Allan Humiston, who lives on 146th Avenue Southeast, said he's been affected by at least two water main breaks, one of which flooded his home and cracked the pavement of his driveway and garage.

Humiston's residence was not harmed in the Nov. 17 incident.

Utility crews worked throughout the day to remove sediment from 147th Avenue Southeast, and were expected to replace the broken pipe by Nov. 18.

Eich said the city would have to repave 147th Avenue Southeast, and would likely have the work done by Nov. 24.

Joshua Adam Hicks can be reached at jhicks@bellevuereporter.com or 425-453-4290.

Bellevue Reporter Staff Writer Joshua Adam Hicks can be reached at jhicks@bellevuereporter.com or 425-453-4290.

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