Water main break causes flooding and shuts off water service on Costa Mesa Street

A Costa Mesa street was flooded and residents were without water for about four hours after a water main broke Tuesday night, officials said.

Costa Mesa police responded to reports of flooding on Costa Mesa Street near the intersection of Orange Avenue at about 5:15 p.m., said Sgt. Mike Manson.

The water caused a 6- by 12-foot sinkhole near the sidewalk, Manson said.

Mesa Water crews were at the scene within a half hour and repaired the broken line by 10 p.m., said Noelle Collins, a Mesa Water spokeswoman.

The area near the hole was roped off Wednesday morning as crews were busy removing a nearby tree. The tree’s roots were compromised when water washed away the dirt around it, according to workers.

The water main break was the first of several issues for Mesa Water customers. Other areas of the city suffered pipe issues and interruptions in service beginning early Wednesday.

An above ground pipe blew out on Mendoza Drive at about 1:30 a.m. Residents in nearby apartment buildings are expected to be without water until about 3 p.m. as crews work to repair the line. The pipe was rusted and worn out, which officials suspect is what caused it to fail, Collins said.

A few commercial buildings are also without water on Airport Loop after reporting some flooding at about 8:30 a.m. Wednesday. Crews are waiting for water to drain before they can determine what caused the problem and make repairs. It is not clear when water will be restored in the area, Collins said.

While Mesa Water regularly tests its water system and infrastructure, it is not clear when the affected areas were last inspected, Collins said.

“It’s not a regular occurrence for us to have this many, but it does happen,” she said. “It’s an aging system and it needs attention and repairs from time to time.”

hannah.fry@latimes.com

Twitter: @HannahFryTCN