SJ State dries out after water pipe break

Maintenance crews have cleaned up most of the damage done by a water pipe that broke open on Sunday at San Jose State University and sent large streams of water down multiple walkways on campus, according to university officials.

Custodial staff is currently working to dry out the Office of International and Extended Studies, located in the lowest-lying point of the university’s Student Union building. This is near the area where the water primarily pooled up, SJSU spokeswoman Pat Harris said.

The pipe, which runs underground between residence halls Campus Village 2 and Campus Village C, burst and released water onto the San Carlos and Ninth Street paseos, university officials said.

Harris said that from those starting points, the water traveled down the San Carlos walkway to the El Paseo de Cesar Chavez walkway in the heart of campus. That entire area was flooded, and water settled right in front of the university’s Student Union.

Much of the mud and debris were cleared by this morning by crews from the San Jose Water Company, which made it possible for classes to still be in session, Harris said.

Small amounts of water did get into some buildings, but none required extra effort to remove other than the Student Union, according to Harris.

The San Jose Water Company pipe that broke open runs through campus on an easement and does not service the university itself, allowing water service to the campus to remain in order, Harris said.