Crews working to replace an aging sewage line in San Jose recently discovered an underground water leak.
The leak, on a joint pipe linking a 10-inch water main to a 1-inch house line, was detected last month in the 14000 block of Story Road, in the city's East Foothills. Officials said the leak may have been going on for some time.
"The soil out there was permeable, so I do believe a small leak could have been going on for quite a while," Public Works Deputy Director Michael O'Connell said.
The Public Works Department on Thursday said there may be more undetected water leaks given the city's water system is roughly 150 years old.
The San Jose Water Company concedes it is losing water. The agency said on average, utilities nationwide lose 20 percent of its water through leaks, theft and firefighting.
"When a utility reaches the end of its surface life, it generally needs some rehab to extend the life, or complete replacement of the asset," O'Connell said.
The San Jose Water Company said it replaces approximately 25 miles of pipes per year. The city has hundreds of miles of aging pipes.
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San Jose Water Company said it responds to every leak as soon as possible.
