A recent water main break in Dayton, Ohio, was described by officials as nearly catastrophic, as it spilled at least 100 million gallons of treated water into the Great Miami River and forced businesses and schools in the area to close.

Utility officials posted a boil-water advisory for residents as a safeguard against potentially poor water quality.

The loss of water in the main break constituted more than four times the daily distribution amount. The 36-inch line line that broke was 28 years old and made of concrete. During the episode, water pressure dropped to 50 psi.

Man Steals Water Utility Truck for Destructive Joy Ride

A man in Albuquerque, New Mexico, recently stole a water utility truck and took it on a joy ride throughout the city, crashing three times into other vehicles. A video obtained by KRQE News shows the aftermath of the incident.

Authorities say it took hours before police finally caught up with the man.

Apparently, the keys had been left in the vehicle’s ignition while employees were repairing a waterline. “I turned around and I saw all my guys were here and the truck was gone,” a utility employee told KRQE.

Invasive Rodents Could Damage Water Infrastructure in California

The California Department of Fish & Wildlife is asking the state legislature to allocate $1.9 million to rid the state’s marshland of nutria — invasive giant web-footed rodents native to South America.

The mammals reproduce very quickly and can grow longer than 2 feet and weight as much as 20 pounds. They reportedly have a large appetite for local vegetation and have been causing damage to wetlands and have the potential to wreak havoc on California’s water infrastructure by damaging irrigation canals and levees.    

The funding would allow for a team of 10 scientists and other experts to track and eradicate the nutria. The agency is asking for an additional $1.6 million going forward to fund the program in future years.

The LA Times shared the story via Twitter with an image of the rodents: