Officials Begin Investigation On Cause of K-School Flood

University construction officials have begun investigating why an underground water pipe near the Kennedy School of Government burst last Wednesday evening, flooding the K-School's basement and causing a partial blackout at several University buildings.

Investigators have advanced several theories for the pipe rupture, which dumped five inches of water into the basement library and offices and knocked out power at the K-School, Holyoke Center, Massachusetts Hall, Pusey Library, Canaday Hall, Lowell House, and the Graduate School of Design headquarters in Gund Hall.

The pipes may have burst because of vibrations from jackhammers working on the adjacent new K-School wing, because the original pipe design was faulty, or because the pipe was inadequately fastened to the Kennedy St. water main, Robert Saltonstall Jr. Associate Vice President of Operations, said yesterday.

Saltonstall said the repairs would probably cost more than $50,000. He added that officials were examining insurance policies and will await the results of the investigation before deciding how to pay for the damage.

Saltonstall said that the Gilbane Construction Co. of Rhode Island, which oversaw the orignal K-School building and is directing the new addition, is not necessarily at fault.

"Saying that we will ever know what exactly was faulty might be presumptuous," he added.

He said the investigators would also study the quality of the materials used.

Joseph Day, the Gilbane executive in charge of the project, was unavailable for comment yesterday.

Any lessons learned about the water pipes after the investigation would be applied to the water pipe construction in the new wing, which is to be completed in early 1984. Saltonstall said.

The K-School regained full power early Saturday morning and the library opened this week The Cambridge Water Department av- erted major damage by turning off water from the Kennedy St. main which was uncontrollably flowing into the basement. Had the water line gone any higher, it could have ruined a new $800.000 computer and many completed applications for admission, both in the basement