Water Main Break Briefly Interrupts Service

A broken main at West End Avenue and Broadway briefly interrupted service to neighborhood residents early Thursday morning.

A report of water runoff sent a crew to the site at approximately 9 a.m. The water supply was shut off, interrupting service to residents on parts of Surrey and West End.

Excavation revealed a broken 6-inch pipe, according to Sal DeBiasse, water foreman, who was on-site. The break was not severe enough to warrant replacement of the pipe, estimated to be about 50 years old, and a repair clamp was applied to hold the damaged section together. The excavation was then refilled, the supply restored, and repairs completed at about 10:30 a.m. Repaving will take place after the area of the repair settles.

DiBiasse said that the cause of the break—the first in town this winter—was undetermined, although cold weather can cause the ground to shift and put pressure on underground lines. The local temperature was well below freezing overnight and had not risen above 32 degrees as of mid-morning.

An estimated 5,000 to 10,000 gallons of water escaped prior to the repair, he said.