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A water main break overnight shut down a stretch of Palo Verde Avenue, and the roadway was expected to stay closed while crews made repairs and cleaned up today and tomorrow, according to authorities.

The 8-inch water main broke some time in the early morning, flooding Palo Verde at Metz Street and interrupting water service for 27 customers, according to Long Beach Water Department spokeswomen Kaylee Weatherly.

Weatherly said she was alerted to the break around 4 a.m. Crews quickly headed to the scene and got the water shut off.

“We’re on site and working quickly to make the repairs,” she said.

Water pours out of a pipe after a water main break at Palo Verde Avenue and Metz Street in Long Beach August 15, 2018. Photo by Thomas R Cordova.

Palo Verde was shut down between Spring Street and Wardlow Road, according to Weatherly.

She said repairs were expected to be complete some time Wednesday, but cleaning up all the mud from the flooding may take until Thursday.

Weatherly said the line that broke was installed in 1953. It wasn’t immediately clear why it failed.

Water main break at Palo Verde Avenue and Metz Street in Long Beach August 15, 2018. Photo by Thomas R Cordova
Water main break at Palo Verde Avenue and Metz Street in Long Beach August 15, 2018. Photo by Thomas R Cordova

Jeremiah Dobruck is managing editor of the Long Beach Post. Reach him at jeremiah@lbpost.com or @jeremiahdobruck on Twitter.