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A main water pipeline ruptured early Wednesday morning on Grant Street near Allston Way, sending a stream of water onto the street and flooding the garage and basement of a nearby residence. 

Kathy Goldsmith, whose Allston Street house was hit with five inches of water, said she was awakened around 1 a.m. by the fire department. “I heard water and thought it was rain,” she said. “The street looked like a raging river.” 

About 40 residences in the affected neighborhood, which spans about two blocks around Allston and Grant, received no water service from 1:45 to 11:15 a.m. as a crew of East Bay Municipal Utility Department (EBMUD) employees worked to fix the rupture. EBMUD workers finished replacing the damaged section of the 12-inch-thick pipe and laying down temporary asphalt over the affected area around 11:30 a.m. Wednesday. 

A subcontractor of EBMUD was brought in to pump water out of the Goldsmiths’ basement and garage and completely dry the area to prevent mold growth. Steve Goldsmith, Kathy’s husband, said he was pleased with the pace of the clean-up. “All the water was out in about an hour,” he said. “They were amazingly quick about it.” 

Deputy Fire Chief David Orth said it’s not uncommon for water mains to break but that Tuesday’s leak was “a fairly big one.” 

EBMUD spokesman Jeff Becerra said no exact cause has been pinpointed. He said there are water breaks almost every day throughout EMBUD’s jurisdiction, which covers about 45 miles of pipeline. He said most ruptures are caused by simple wear and tear. Other causes include heavy traffic and sudden weather changes. 

Officials could give no cost estimate for the damage.