Repairs continue on still expanding Union City sinkhole
UNION CITY, Calif. (KTVU) - A giant sinkhole that opened up in Union City on Wednesday won't be fixed until next week, despite crews making significant progress Friday repairing a water main.
Crews spent Friday pouring concrete to support an 18-inch water pipe. Installed overnight, it replaces the broken water main line caused by a massive sinkhole. The sinkhole is now 50 feet long, 25 feet wide and 10 feet deep.
“As far as repair of the water line, we've made great progress over the night,” said Steve Peterson of the Alameda County Water District. “Our crews have been working 24/7 since the beginning of the incident.”
The Water District said the reason the sinkhole grew from when it was first reported Wednesday, they had to make it bigger so crews could safely get in the hole to make repairs.
Once the water line is fixed, the Union Sanitary District will inspect the sewage pipe line beneath it. City officials estimate the road won't be open until late Tuesday at the earliest. A cause is unknown.
“There are possible theories but at this point everybody meaning the multiple agencies involved are still in investigation mode,” said Peterson.
Among the possible theories are the 44-year-old water main line or sewer pipe leaked. The sinkhole is on Alvarado Boulevard near New Haven Street outside a Union City fire station.
While fire service hasn't been interrupted, it has inconvenienced this couple who drop off their children at a nearby school.
“It’s causing a lot of traffic the whole street is blocked off people have to make a left turn or u-turn,” said Shafiq Safi of Hayward.
They’re counting down the days when it will be repaired.
“Today is the second or third day,” said Safi. “It seems like progress is a bit slow so sooner the better.”
Crews plan to work throughout the weekend to backfill the hole with sand and gravel and replace the asphalt. For now, those who live in the area are relying on a temporary "water" system so water service hasn't been disrupted.