Subway service restored after Upper West Side water main break
NEW YORK — A water main break on the Upper West Side disrupted subway service on multiple lines Wednesday afternoon and left several buildings without service the night before Thanksgiving.
The break happened at 103rd Street and Central Park West at 1:50 p.m. and involved a 12-inch main. City officials responded within 25 minutes, DEP Commissioner Rohit Aggarwala said. The water was shut off by 2:45 p.m., affecting 250 residences in eight buildings.
Crews continued working late into Wednesday night as impacted residents, including Alex Lopinto, came to a water station set up outside.
Lopinto is 9 months pregnant, and her due date is Monday.
"So it's not the most ideal time to not have any running water, especially because I pee every three minutes," she said.
It's a problem she's managing as she gets ready to celebrate the holiday.
"We're just laying low. We have a dinner reservation in the neighborhood, and we can just hop from place to place to use their bathrooms, I guess, in the interim," Lopinto said.
"Water main breaks like this happen somewhat randomly," Aggarwala said. "We have done a really good job, I think, over the last couple of years of reducing them."
He said last year, the city had a record low number of breaks.
Subway service disrupted as New Yorkers head to balloon inflation
When the water main broke, officials said there was a gush of water into the subway system below.
The MTA said service on the A, C, B and D lines was severely disrupted, which caused crowding on some trains and platforms as passengers tried to take alternate routes.
Some passengers on a B train had to switch cars, but that went smoothly, according to the MTA.
As of 8 p.m., the MTA's website said there were still suspensions on the C line.
As of 9 p.m, service on the A line was restored but being rerouted, with delays expected. B and D trains were also back up and running, but with delays as well.
The break and disruptions took place as large crowds were expected to flock to the Upper West Side for the balloon inflation.
"When I first got here, there were cops and everything blocking the traffic," commuter Alex Febles said. "I'm going to go home but obviously I can't do that now."
"I tried to down there, but they have it all yellow taped up," commuter Faranah McKoy said. "I would love to head home, because I am tired and I'm heading to Jersey. So my commute just started."