Cleanup efforts underway after flooding in Riverwest neighborhood; repairs to begin Wednesday

Updated: July 29, 2025

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- In an update shared Tuesday afternoon, Milwaukee Water Works said the impacted water main has been fully drained, and repairs will begin on Wednesday.

The said the water release happened when crews opened a valve on a pipe connected to the large water main.

"The piping after the valve failed and released water directly from the large water main," Milwaukee Water Works said. "Because the location is near the Riverside Pumping Station, the main has higher pressure and a large volume of water."

Crews continue to manage cleanup and traffic control at the site and are working to remove damaged pavement and debris from the area.

Water Works says they anticipate the work will continue into early next week. 

The intersection remains closed to traffic. Northbound lanes remain open. 

“We appreciate the community’s patience as our crews continue cleanup and repair efforts,” said Milwaukee Water Works Superintendent Patrick Pauly. “Our priority is to restore the intersection as quickly and safely as possible while maintaining reliable water service to our customers.”

Published: July 24, 2025

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- In just a matter of minutes Monday evening, an intersection in Milwaukee's Riverwest neighborhood turned into a small lake.

A spokesperson for Milwaukee Public Works said crews were doing scheduled valve maintenance at the intersection of N. Humboldt Blvd. and E. Concordia Ave. when something happened causing a "significant amount of water" to flood the roadway.

A supervisor on site said workers needed to test the area around the valve in order to find out what went wrong.

Gravel covered the southwest corner of the intersection. The Water Works supervisor said it was ground underneath the road that got blown out by the force of the water. Because of that, there was concern a sinkhole could possibly open up.

Byron Thompson, who lives a couple doors away from the intersection, said he was home at the time and got startled by vibrations.

"The house was really shaking, and it was like a vibrating. So, I was wondering what it was," Thompson said. "My dog was looking out the window, so I come to the window and see all this water out here."

Thompson said he then called his neighbor, Gabe Corn, who lives even closer to the flood site.

Both men said they were concerned about the ground around their homes being saturated by water and eventually having it seep into their basement.

The neighbors said their water was still running throughout the ordeal, but added they weren't comfortable consuming it.

"I don't know if I can drink it yet, but the water is still on," Corn said.

In its statement, the utility said crews won't be able to determine what caused the flood until after the water has receded.

A Water Works spokesperson added there is no impact to water quality or service. The utility added the water main has been taken out of service but added flooding could continue "for a while" as it drains.