Dozens Of Homes, Businesses Without Water In Rhawnhurst Due To Main Break
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- The weather is taking a toll in different ways on Thursday as a 16-inch water main ruptured in the Rhawnhurst section of Philadelphia, leaving dozens of homes and several businesses without water.
Crews remain on the scene at Rhawn Street and Castor Avenue following the main break around 10:30 a.m.
Water flowed like a river, mixing with the falling snow. The main break sent water gushing onto streets and into nearby businesses.
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"In this location, there are actually customers that are connected to this 16-inch main, so we have approximately 70 customers that are shut off right now," said John DiGiulio with the Philadelphia Water Department.
Casa del Dolce took the brunt of the hit from the broken main with water flooding the basement of the small family-owned business.
"I had an order to be picked up and all of a sudden we saw water gushing out in the street and I looked in my basement and it was full of water," said owner Rose Buto.
Buto added they will have to be shut down the shop for a period of time.
"I'm gonna have to shut down, at least for a couple of days," said Buto.
The Philadelphia Water Department is working to repair the main, which may take hours.
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With sub-freezing temperatures continuing to grip the region, water main breaks are becoming more and more of a problem.
"Certainly, right now, with water main breaks happening at the rate that they are, everyone should at least have a case of bottled water so that if there is a water main break they can get through the day with drinking water and cooking," said DiGiulio.
Officials say it takes at least eight just to work on a repair, but because of the conditions, it may take even longer.
The department has workers on 16-hour shifts as they try to get the water main repaired.
