Water-Line Break Causes Major Flooding, Muddy Mess In Santa Barbara Neighborhood

A water-main break led to major flooding and property damage early Thursday in a neighborhood near the Mesa in Santa Barbara, according to the Santa Barbara City Fire Department.

City firefighters were dispatched at about 4:20 a.m. to the 300 block of Ladera Street, where they found a large amount of water, mud and vegetation flowing out from a driveway, fire Battalion Chief Robert Mercado told Noozhawk.

Investigation revealed that the water was coming from underneath nearby McKinley Elementary School, which is at 350 Loma Alta Drive, Mercado said.

An emergency services worker was called out and shut down the water main, which was determined to be a 12-inch line that sustained a “catastrophic failure,” Mercado said.

The flow of water, mud and debris caused damage to the hillside, he added, “and a lot of undermining in that area.” City building inspectors were dispatched to examine potential damage to several condominiums in the area.