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The aftermath of a water main break on Saturday, July 12, 2025, at the intersection of Center Street and Freedom Boulevard is shown on Monday, July 14, 2025.

Curtis Booker, Daily Herald

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A water main break led to water shooting into the air and onto city streets on Saturday, July 12, 2025.

Courtesy Provo Police Department

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Crews conduct repairs at the intersection of Center Street and Freedom Boulevard on Monday, July 14, 2025, after a water main break happened on Saturday, July 12, 2025.

Curtis Booker, Daily Herald

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A road closure sign sits at the intersection of Center Street and Freedom Boulevard on Monday, July 14, 2025, after a water main break happened on Saturday, July 12, 2025.

Curtis Booker, Daily Herald

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Provo City officials are still looking into what caused a water main break in downtown Provo on Saturday that sent water and debris erupting into the air and onto city streets.

Just before 3 p.m., Provo police responded to the area near Center Street and Freedom Boulevard, where images that looked similar to a geyser showed water flying skyward.

Crews from Provo Public Works arrived and briefly shut the water off to the north side of Center Street, between 100 West and Freedom Boulevard, to allow for repairs.

Gordon Haight, Public Works director, told the Daily Herald on Monday they are exploring the factors that could have led to the incident.

“Water line breaks can occur for a variety of reasons, including pipe age, soil conditions and ground movement,” he explained. “During the pipe replacement, crews observed significant corrosion, which may have contributed to the failure.”

The water main burst left a sinkhole in the road along Center Street. Officials also said more than a dozen vehicles sustained damages due to being hit by rocks and debris when the water main broke.

Some people took to social media detailing the impacts to their vehicles.

“Our rear truck window was knocked out and there are dents from the rocks. The car on the left has its sun roof knocked out and it’s full of water,” a woman, Sarah McOmber, wrote in a Facebook post Saturday.

Those whose vehicles or property sustained damage in the aftermath of the water main break are welcome to file a claim on the city’s website or by calling 801-852-6365.

Travel in both directions along Center Street were closed for a time, as repairs were underway.

By 8 p.m., Public Works crews had finished the initial portion of the repairs and restored water to the impacted areas. Eastbound lanes along Center Street had also reopened.

According to Provo City officials, no businesses in the area were impacted by the main line break, as they all reportedly remained open.

Public Works and street maintenance crews were back at the site Monday morning as they were working through more repairs; westbound lanes were still closed at the intersection of Center Street and Freedom Boulevard, as the roadway itself was also heavily impacted.

“Crews are now focused on road repairs and are working toward reopening the westbound lanes by Tuesday,” Haight said.

While the exact cause of Saturday’s water main line break has yet to be determined, it may add to the list of reasons that city officials want to generate enough revenue to address aging infrastructure and other maintenance needs.

The Provo City Council recently approved a 2.5% water rate increase, set to take place in September, that officials say could help bring in the roughly $80 million in needed funding for capital improvement projects across the city.

At a February City Council meeting, Keith Larson of Bowen Collins & Associates, which is an engineering consulting firm, said about 16% of the city’s water pipes are over 100 years old or getting close to it. 

Larson also noted that over half of the city’s water system is more than 30 years old.

It’s possible that may have included the broken line in Saturday’s failure, as Haight said it was within that 30-year age range. 

“While the typical lifespan of a water line ranges from 60 to 100 years, various factors such as corrosion, soil movement and other environmental conditions can accelerate deterioration,” he told the Daily Herald. “Over time, design and construction standards have improved to help extend the life of our infrastructure.”

As Provo Public Works continues efforts to patch up the damage left by Saturday’s water main line break, Haight said their crews plan to evaluate infrastructure in the surrounding area to see if any other sections of the water line need immediate attention. 

“Monitoring underground infrastructure presents ongoing challenges. However, our crews actively prioritize the replacement of aging or problematic lines,” he stated.

In the meantime, Haight acknowledged all the city agencies for their response on Saturday, calling it a true “One Provo” effort.

“While we never want to see incidents like this occur, we’re proud of the quick and professional response by all involved,” he said.