GRAND COTEAU — GRAND COTEAU, La. — What began as a typical Thursday evening for Anna Huval and her brother Josh quickly turned into a chaotic scene as a water main break flooded their street on Market Street.
Josh Huval said the damage was significant.
“There was quite a bit of water in the front yard,” he said. The water was so high it made the area look like a small lake.
At first, Anna Huval didn’t think much of the situation.
“I thought this was pretty funny because my yard floods pretty badly regardless,” she said. “It’s been raining consistently, and my yard always floods. When my brother texted me, I thought it would be fine.”
But as she approached her home, the severity of the situation became clear.
“I got here, and I was like, ‘Oh, this is worse than normal,’” she said. The street and her yard were completely submerged, and water was gushing from the broken main.
City crews were quick to respond to the emergency, working at both ends of Market Street to repair the broken pipe. The rupture caused widespread disruptions, shutting down local schools and businesses, closing roads, and trapping Ana and her brother inside their home only for a few hours
The water main break, which affected several homes and businesses, left residents stunned as they watched the water rise. Terrance Tide, a local resident said the situation was unexpected.
“This is a big surprise for all of us,” Tide said.
Crews brought in heavy equipment and tools to replace the outdated pipe.
Although the immediate issue has been resolved and water service has been restored, the incident highlights ongoing infrastructure challenges in the town. Prejean confirmed that work to replace the old pipes had been underway on several streets but wasn’t yet finished.
“I really love living here,” she said. “I moved here last year in May, and I lived here before, but I just hope the city stays on top of these issues so nothing like this happens again.”
The town’s response to the water main break has helped restore normalcy for now, but there is a boil water advisory in effect until Sunday.
