Downtown Sioux Falls street floods following major water main break

Public Works crews working to fix break that occurred in front of Carnegie Town Hall Tuesday evening

Portions of 10th Street in downtown Sioux Falls have been closed to traffic as crews work to repair a major water main break that has water gushing over the roadway.

Members of the Public Works team working to repair the break that occurred Tuesday evening beneath the roadway adjacent to Carnegie Town Hall told The Dakota Scout the failure appears to be isolated to that location. Onlookers watched as water erupted between concrete segments of the major one-way thoroughfare that drivers use to leave the west end of downtown. Storm drain inlets appeared to be capturing most of the fluid flowing downhill to the east.

It’s unclear exactly how long the block of 10th Street — between Main and Dakota Avenues — will remain closed.

However, Public Works Director Mark Cotter in a statement provided to The Dakota Scout said water main breaks are not uncommon. The city deals with as many as 60 each year. And it typically takes between four and six hours to fix, he said.