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New York City Water Main Breaks, Floods Streets and Buildings
New York, NY (AHN) – Several New York City streets were turned into raging rivers early Friday morning after a 12-inch water main installed in 1870 broke in lower Manhattan shortly after 2:20 a.m., forcing the evacuation of five residential buildings.
At least 15 commercial buildings were also affected as water flowed down streets in all directions in the affected area. The water main broke in the middle of the street causing severe damage at the intersection of West Broadway and Duane Street.
Flooding has also caused the closure of several streets, re-routing of several bus routes and slowed some subways. In addition, the Department of Environmental Protection has shut down water service to the affected area.
Fire crews were pumping out basements of flooded buildings where the water was anywhere from 4-inches to 4-feet deep.
The 1, 2 and 3 subway lines are running slower in the area because water ran in the subway there, the M20 and X25 buses are being diverted around the area and several streets in the area are closed.
New York City officials have been trying to replace sections of the city’s aging water and sewer system, which, like many other municipal systems across the country, need expensive upgrades. A lack of funds has slowed necessary work.
The American Society of Civil Engineers has warned that the nation’s aging water system infrastructure needs to be replaced. It estimates the cost of necessary repairs at around $334.8 billion over the next two decades. Failing to make such repairs will result in more and more water main breaks, such as this one, which are dangerous and result in costly repairs to roads that are affected by the water main breaks, the ASCE has said.
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