Harsh Weather Has Crews Scrambling To Repair Water Main Breaks Across Philadelphia
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- All day, and into the night Sunday, the City of Philadelphia has had flowing water streaming down streets as a result of one water main break after another.
The Philadelphia Water Department confirms there were at least 10 water main breaks on Sunday.
One of the first happened right around 4 a.m in Center City near 17th and Callowhill Streets.
"We believe it's a water main break on a possibly eight or 12-inch main," said John DiGiulio with the Philadelphia Water Department. "The water seems to be escaping here down to the expressway."
For hours, the Vine Street Expressway, near the Broad Street exit, had to be closed on both sides because of water from the main break flowing on to it and causing icy conditions.
Right around the time the expressway opened up, around 2 p.m. Sunday, water crews were called to deal with a break on Larchwood Street in West Philadelphia.
An eight-inch main broke there and had crews working well into the night on repairs.
"The whole block is out of water right now," said resident Zavier Moreland. "It's kind of an inconvenience, but with this arctic chill, what can you really do?"
There have been so many water main breaks Sunday the water department crews just can't keep up.
Wendell Jordon has been waiting for seven hours for crews to shut off the water to a break where he lives on West Cortland Street.
At least an inch of water has poured into his basement.
"It's rough," he said. "The whole basement we are working on finishing it. We have carpet in every room and now we have to rip everything out."
