Public Works: Multiple Water Main Breaks In Baltimore County Over Past Week Coincidence
BALTIMORE COUNTY, Md. (WJZ) -- Water service has been restored for many of the businesses impacted by a water main break that shut down part of York Road near Hunt Valley Monday, one of three major breaks in Baltimore County in the past week.
Now that the water has stopped rushing down the road, reconstruction is the name of the game.
The break caused headaches for homeowners, businesses and commuters along the busy road, including the Hunt Valley Animal Hospital, which was forced to temporarily close its doors.
"We couldn't scrub in for surgery or practice safe medicine for our customers and patients," Kelly Rowe with the animal hospital said.
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It was a similar situation along Belair Road in Overlea after a 12-inch water main broke there Monday evening.
Property owners like Hans Lundgren were forced to pump water out of their backyards and sweep away mud and debris that was left behind.
"I have water coming over from the street, my neighbors yard, and the drains. I have water coming over here from all 3 sides," he said.
Officials hope to have Belair Road reopened by rush hour Wednesday.
The Department of Public Works said the timing of the three water main breaks to hit Baltimore County in the past week is probably a coincidence.
"I don't think right now that there's anything we can do differently to stop it," DPW's Jeffrey Raymond said.
Instead, DPW said it's about making sure it's deploying resources as quickly as it can.
"Sometimes, depending on the composition of the pipe the acidity of the soils, pipes wear out faster and you have to replace them. But we try to think ahead when we're putting in the pipe so that it does last a long time," Raymond said.
Officials are also keeping an eye on the major distribution mains which, if they failed, could cause catastrophic flooding and knock out water service to thousands of customers.