NewsCovering ColoradoNews5 In Your CommunitySoutheast Side

Actions

Water main break causes headaches for traffic and residents near Airport Road and Murray Boulevard

'It Looked Like Whitewater Rapids': A Backyard Floods After Water Main Break
Airport and Murray Water Main
Posted
and last updated

Update as of Saturday:

Colorado Springs Utilities says that water has been restored.

They say that South Murray Boulevard, Airport Road, and Shelley Avenue should reopen once the cleanup is complete.

Original coverage:

Drivers and residents are being met with headaches at the intersection of Murray Boulevard and Airport Road on Friday afternoon.

Colorado Springs Utilities says that a water main break has shut down all of northbound Murray Boulevard at the intersection, and all of Westbound Airport Road early Friday evening, and will likely be closed through the night.

CSU Traffic Closure

CSU says the cause of the main break is still under investigation.

News5 was on scene and spoke with many renters and homeowners northwest of the intersection who are now dealing with a lot of the damage. You can see some of that damage below.

The video shows the backyard of a Southeast Springs woman. She tells News5 this was unexpected and came at a rough time.

Michelle Gallegos returned home Friday to find her yard flooded with rushing water from a nearby water main break at South Murray Boulevard and Airport Road in Colorado Springs.

Gallegos said the flooding came without warning.

"I came home to 2 feet of water and debris in my yard. It kind of look like whitewater rapids," Gallegos said.

Her house sits adjacent to where the water main break occurred. The timing made an already difficult situation worse — she had just undergone knee surgery and was planning to walk through her yard to enter her home.

Instead, she began sinking in the mud.

"I could not get in my yard so I had to wait in the neighbor's—first in their driveway and then in their patio because I couldn't get into my yard," Gallegos said.

Her children had to carry her in through the patio door.

Gallegos said the water ran nonstop for more than two hours. She added that this is not the first time something like this has happened near her property.

"This was a non-planned event. Okay, that's cool, but you need to have something in place for when something like this happens because it's not the first time it happened," Gallegos said.

Even after crews arrived and began picking up debris, Gallegos said she remains stuck — and is now asking who will be held accountable for the damage left behind.

"Who's going to handle all the damage to my property now and the fact that I can't get my walker up and down the sidewalk now?" Gallegos said.

She said she is worried if she has a medical emergency and can't get through her yard because of all the leftover debris and rubbish.

At this time is is unclear if the City will help these residents following the flooding, but News5's Liv Wood will continue to follow this story.

___

Southern Colorado communities are being evacuated as a wildfire explodes

Neighborhoods and the Town of Beulah have been evacuated after a wildfire burning along Highway 165 has exploded in size.

Southern Colorado communities are being evacuated as a wildfire explodes

News Tips
What should KOAA5 cover? Is there a story, topic, or issue we should revisit? Have a story you believe should make the light of day? Let our newsroom know with the contact form below.

____

Watch KOAA News5 on your time, anytime with our free streaming app available for your Roku, FireTV, AppleTV and Android TV. Just search KOAA News5, download and start watching.

News Tips
What should KOAA5 cover? Is there a story, topic, or issue we should revisit? Have a story you believe should make the light of day? Let our newsroom know with the contact form below.
Bill Folsom Promo Spot

We Want To Hear From You | Tap To Connect