DPW: Aging Infrastructure & Superstorm Sandy To Blame For Water Main Breaks
BALTIMORE (WJZ)—For the third time in a week, a water main break closes roads, disrupts traffic and cuts off service. The latest rupture is in Mount Vernon.
Monique Griego has more on the efforts to restore service.
The Department of Public Works is working on several water main repairs. While they admit an aging system is partly to blame, they also say there are other factors.
For the third time in a week, Baltimore is hit with a gushing water main break. This time a 30- inch main floods the streets about 8 a.m. Monday on Madison Street between Guilford and Calvert.
"It was like a water fall out there. It was crazy. All the traffic was backed up," said Traci Allen, who works nearby.
Allen works at St. Ignatius Church on Calvert Street, where the entire 800-block is going on day two without water. But on Tuesday she finally saw workers cutting the new line, so they can move it underground.
"That's exciting because it means it's going to be fixed very soon and we're going to have water back," Allen said.
DPW crews have been working night and day to fix a string of broken lines. It was just last Wednesday when another rupture sent a river of water down Charles Street.
View Gallery: Crews Work To Fix 2 Water Main Breaks In A Week
The most recent water main breaks in Baltimore City did more than just flood streets. Water buckled roads and ripped pavement apart.
"Street closed, and they don't let me do business," said Mike Chan, business owner.
Not only did Chan's carryout lose a full day of sales when it was forced to close Monday, but the shopping center parking lot he owns was also severely damaged.
"I don't know. Maybe insurance pay or city pay. I'm not sure," he said.
According to Chan, this is the third line break on this street in recent years. While the city admits old pipes are partly to blame, people here don't realistically think the aging system will be fixed anytime soon.
"From what I understand it's 1913. These pipes are that old and so it's going to cost a lot of money to go around the city and fix all the pipes," Allen said.
DPW has repaired the Madison Street water main break, but the street is closed between Calvert and Guilford for other utilities in the area.
