(WSB photo, August 2022)

Replacement work is wrapping up for the two-foot-wide, century-old water main that ruptured – explosively – near Longfellow Creek last August. The work that started in November at 24th/Kenyon will be complete in April, according to a Seattle Public Utilities update that explains why it’s taken so long:

Over the past few months, the contractor has installed a new pipe that will replace the damaged portion of the water main. This work required the contractor to drill a tunnel under SW Kenyon St and Longfellow Creek and then pull 700 feet of new pipe into place through this tunneled area. This drilling work took longer than anticipated due to technical challenges and procurement delays during the drilling process. … Now that the new pipe is in place, crews will test the pipe to ensure that it is functioning properly. After these tests are complete, crews will attach the new pipe to the existing water main and complete pavement and landscape restoration at the site.

While SPU has not said that the two are linked, the break came during work on another project nearby. That will start back up after the pipe replacement is complete: “Once the water main repair work is finished, work will resume on the natural drainage systems and pedestrian bridge for the Longfellow Natural Drainage System (NDS) project. All work at the site is anticipated to be complete in fall 2023.”