An apparent construction mishap turned Hough Street into a flooded nightmare on Tuesday morning, as a burst main water line and sewage line sent torrents of water and waste into the streets.
The event reportedly began the day before when a crew from Greenwood-based Deviney Construction apparently inadvertently struck a six-inch main water line while working to install fiber optics for Delta Health Alliance.
Public Works Director Elvis Pernell expressed concern over the incident, noting that the construction company may have failed to request a proper line location before beginning work.
"They didn’t call us for a locate," Pernell said. "We had to send our own crew after the damage was done. This is an unfortunate situation."
The situation escalated overnight, with water gushing into the streets and flooding Hough Street by morning.
"They tore up the storm drain and hit the water line," Pernell explained. "This has caused major problems, and we’re working to fix it as quickly as possible."
The repercussions of the flooding and lack of water to the area were apparent by Tuesday afternoon.
Gentry High School, located just a block away, dismissed students at 1 p.m. for safety reasons. Parents and staff scrambled as water surged uncontrollably, raising concerns about flooding and contamination.
A similar situation unfolded over a year ago in the fall of 2023 when a water line was hit along Second Street near the former Modern Line building. Crews worked multiple days to stop that leak and repair the line.
