Roughly 40 homes in the Santa Cruz County community of Soquel were without water service Friday after storm runoff and debris washed out a road and water main, according to the local water district.
Storm debris blocked the Bates Creek culvert at North Main Street, eventually leading to the road and water main being washed away, the Soquel Creek Water District said.
County crews were working to clear the storm debris and evaluate the damage to the road. The water district was also working on to repair and stabilize the street.
Many of the 450 residents now stranded by the washout said they worried this situation might happen given the relentless rain.
"As time went on we started noticing it was sinking and sinking," resident Diana Morales said.
Santa Cruz County Public Information Officer Jason Hoppin said the incident is caused by this recent storm.
"There was a lot of water at once," Hoppin said. "And we will see this from time to time throughout Santa Cruz County."
What the county does not often see is this type of washout then triggering a watermain break.
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Meanwhile, the neighborhood will have to depend on boiling water or getting bottled water until the pipe can be fully repaired and restored.
