UPDATED: EMWD Completes Repair of Water Main Break in Murrieta; Service Restored

UPDATE 9:30 a.m. Nov. 19:

Repairs of a water main break on Hunter Road in east Murrieta have been completed ahead of schedule, a spokesman for Eastern Municipal Water District said.

As of 6 a.m. Tuesday, repairs were complete, said EMWD Spokesman Kevin Pearson.

"All service to the seven affected households on Hunter Road in Murrieta has been restored," Pearson said. "The main line break is fully repaired and the road has been repaired, as well."

Initial estimates were that the work would take until around noon Tuesday.

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PREVIOUS REPORT (Last updated at 3:51 p.m. Nov. 18; originally posted at 11:07 a.m. Nov. 18):

Eastern Municipal Water District is working to temporarily restore water service to seven homes affected by a water main break Monday on Hunter Road in east Murrieta, a spokesman for the water district said.

The breakage was reported at about 6:30 a.m. Monday at Hunter Road and Cresta Del Reyo, according to EMWD Spokesman Kevin Pearson, and repairs are not expected to be completed until around noon on Tuesday.

"We brought each home two cases of bottled water to help get them through, and we are wrapping up a bypass coming from a nearby hydrant to connect each of the houses with water temporarily," Pearson told Patch at about 3:30 p.m. Monday.

"Shortly, all the houses will have water through the bypass so they will be able to shower, cook and flush their toilets and won't be out of service completely tonight," Pearson said.

The break has also resulted in a detour.

"For the safety of our crews and the community, we’ve temporarily shut down a portion of Hunter Road," Pearson said. "Detour signs are posted in the area, diverting traffic around the area where the break is at."

That detour will remain in place until repairs are complete, he said.

There was no word yet on the cause of the break, according to Pearson.

He said the break was of a 24-inch water main line that runs below Hunter Road.

Initial estimates were that the repairs would be done by 2:30 p.m. Monday, but Pearson said in a 1 p.m. phone call to Patch that the time frame has been extended to around noon Tuesday.