Businesses impacted in Tulsa after water main break near 21st and Lewis
Part of 21st Street near Lewis is closed because of a water main break. Eastbound lanes are closed from Lewis to Columbia, but westbound lanes are still open.
About 30 customers went without water on Monday. The city said nearby businesses lost water, but no homes did.
The city said repairing the line could take up to 12 hours, and crews started the work around noon Monday.
Tulsa crews respond to water main break causing road damage and flooding, with repairs expected to take several hours.
January 26, 2026 10:56 AM
1 min read
Impact to Business
The middle of the road is a pile of rubble after the break caused it to buckle, the sidewalk looks like it’s been through an earthquake, and there are newly formed cracks in the parking lot of a chiropractor’s office.
“This gap. There was no gap before. Just shows the power of water,” Dr. Lance Hoose with Chiropractic Wellness Center said. “This was a river. Just throw a fishing line in. We could have got some fish this morning, some trout. But other than that, it’s been an eventful day.”
Dr. Hoose’s practice is one of several businesses on 21st Street that went without water Monday because of a 16-inch water main break.
“The waterline lays right here under the curb,” City of Tulsa Water Distribution Manager Josh Bilby said. “And as you can see, the sidewalk dropped from, you know, all the water bubbling out.”
What’s Next After the Line Is Fixed
Bilby said once the line is fixed, a street contractor will come in when temperatures warm up a bit to repair the buckled road and the area where the line is being fixed.
“It shouldn’t take them a day or two to get everything put back together,” Bilby said. “And then by the end of the week, we’re hoping the roads open back up to normal.”
“I’m thinking I’m gonna need a new parking lot,” Dr. Hoose said.
Dr. Hoose knows repairs are in his future, too, but he plans to be openon Tuesday, ready to help his patients.
“Get the parking lot cleaned up, and help as many people. Because I know people have been out shoveling. They’ve been out sledding. They want to come in; they want to see a chiropractor. And, we’re definitely here, open for business. As soon as we get this cleaned up.”
Water Main Breaks Expected in Cold Weather
The city said no homes were impacted by this break, but there were several other smaller breaks throughout the city that did impact people inside their homes.
The city said to expect the next couple of days to have potential for more breaks.
If you notice water bubbling up in your yard or coming down the street, the city said call its dispatch office at (918) 596-9488, and someone will come by to check it out.