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Alex Cabrero Reporting The sun peaked out a few times today, but even in this nicer weather, at least one city is thinking of rain. The plan in Tooele is to not put water intentionally into 700 South.
Tooele did that last year because a pipe coming out of Settlement Canyon broke. But recently, the pipe was fixed, which hopefully means 700 South will remain a street and not a river.
When Melanie Castagno leaves her house to check her mail, she knows the bills will be there. What she's really dreading is arriving at her home is all the water in the mountains right near her Tooele house.
Melanie Castagno: "We were just talking about it the other day, what's gonna happen."
She has reason to be concerned. As dry as 7th South is outside her door today, last May a canoe would've been better than her car.
Melanie Castagno: "Initially, the first day or two, it was fun, it was unique, it was different. The kids got a kick out of it. Then it got old."
It would for you too if your city decided the best way to handle a busted water pipe was to intentionally channel the water down the street, past your front lawn.
Melanie Castagno: "You couldn't go see the neighbors without jumping across. And sometimes it was too wide to jump across, you couldn't. You had to wade through."
Of course, this time of year flooding is always a concern, but at least for this part of Tooele, city officials think they have it figured out.
Patrick Dunlavy, Mayor of Tooele: "We have the responsibility to make sure we're prepared in the event we do have a lot of quick melt."
Tooele Mayor Patrick Dunlavy says the busted pipe from last year was just fixed a few weeks ago, which means for him, no 7th South River.
Patrick Dunlavy: "Replacing it was a priority for us, without a doubt."
Melanie Castagno: "To hear it's fixed is just fantastic."
Bad news for kids, good news for adults.
Melanie Castagno: "We are just very thrilled there won't be water down the street this year."
700 South was designed as an emergency canal. The curbs are built higher to handle water, but it is something the city and residents would like to avoid this year.
