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Road closure still in place after Wyoming water main break

Posted at 4:44 AM, Aug 02, 2018
and last updated 2018-08-02 07:08:39-04

WYOMING, Mich. -- There is still a road closure in place as of Thursday morning in the city of Wyoming after another water main break Wednesday.

As of early Thursday morning, Clyde Park Avenue is still closed north of 28th Street, and 28th Street is open in both directions.

This was the second water main break in less than three months, which closed down a portion of Clyde Park and 28th Street.

Wednesday's break sent water all the way down the street to nearby Flowerland. The business is no stranger to dealing with water main breaks at this intersection.

"Same area every time," said Flowerland CEO Rick Vuyst. "It's not the exact same spot, but in the close vicinity, the same area on Clyde Park just north of 28th Street where the pavement buckles and we have an instant flood."

Wednesday's break was a similar situation to the last one back on May 17.

"Just like the past times, all of a sudden there's chaos, the street buckles and there is a gusher, a geyser of water," Vuyst said.

Vuyst says he's learned to prepare for water main breaks with flood walls and by keeping product off of the ground.

"The water quickly develops and envelops Clyde Park from side to side, becomes a raging river," he said. "And then heads down our parking lot into the back lot where it collects up to 4 feet high against the back wall.  So we stem the tide with floodgates."

"The water will flow like a river, it’s almost like a rapid, across the back, the north side of our Flowerland store," he said. "And collects on McKee Street and starts to build, and we have a receiving area which floods, and as I said, can get as deep as 4 feet.”

Vuyst's business isn't the only one affected.  The City of Wyoming says 45 customers along Clyde Park between 26th Street and Cricklewood Street are under a precautionary boil water advisory until further notice.

"Now that it’s happened so many times, it’s frustrating we can’t get the problem fixed because, again, it’s the repair after the flood that takes time, and the road is closed, and it disrupts business for the business owners in this area," Vuyst said.

The city says crews will be out at 5 a.m. Thursday making repairs but the boil water advisory is still in place until testing is done.