Freya Street to remain closed for water pipe work, street washout

City crews continue to repair a water main break on Freya Street, which will remain closed for an unknown period after a vacuum truck broke through the pavement Wednesday morning.

Crews worked into Wednesday night to assess and repair the break at Freya and 13th Avenue on Spokane’s South Hill, restoring water service to roughly 25 homes in the area, according to a city news release.

Two additional breaks were discovered during the assessment, city officials said. Crews and resources will be available through the weekend to replace pipe sections as needed. They are installing valves to reduce the impact on water customers and temporary services will be used to provide service.

The release said work in the area is challenging because of rock and a dense network of pipes with various pipe types and connections in the system. The breaks are in 6-inch cast iron distribution pipes that were installed in 1955.

Additional pavement will need to be removed to complete the work. Once the pipe work is complete, the city will assess the pavement for repairs. The city asked the public to avoid the area, follow detours and anticipate delays.