A water main on Chula Vista’s East H Street broke on Thursday afternoon. The main break caused a geyser and a sinkhole on the street, prompting lane closures and slowed traffic.

Hilltop High School is right behind East H Street. The break was first reported by a passing motorcycle police officer. Police shut down eastbound traffic on the road for about an hour until the water was shut off. After that, only the lane with the sinkhole remained closed.

Westbound traffic on East H Street saw slowdowns for the rest of the day. Also, police closed nearby Hilltop Drive to eastbound drivers as a precaution.

Main break slowed traffic on major street

Chula Vista’s H Street is a main thoroughfare that runs from CA-125 to the I-5. The break occurred just west of the I-805 freeway, which runs through east Chula Vista. Unfortunately, the street has few outlets in this particular area. Drivers trying to cross under the I-805 would have been rerouted down to J Street, nearly a quarter mile away.

Chula Vista and the San Diego Metropolitan Area have been experiencing a dry spell recently, which may have helped cause the break. Water mains can break due to age as well as shifts in the ground. Though San Diego also experienced a 4.6-magnitude earthquake Thursday night, the break occurred before the earthquake.

This part of H Street is under the Sweetwater Authority’s jurisdiction. Sweetwater responded quickly to the break and was able to shut off the water within an hour. By Friday morning, repairs were complete, and the street was completely reopened to traffic.

This kind of situation happens quite often. Every year, nearly a quarter-million water mains break in the United States. This is why it’s important for every driver to get physical damage insurance. If a water main breaks near you, your vehicle could sustain serious damage.